Second time love
by broomstick flyer
Summary: Hermione makes a potion that will take her back in time to put right the mistakes she made, the worst of which was marrying the wrong man. Why she married Ron she did not know, she did know it was the biggest mistake she ever made.
1. Chapter 1

Non of the Harry Potter characters belong to me, I have only borrowed them

None of the Harry Potter characters belong to me, I have only borrowed them.

Second time Love.

Chapter One.

Hermione Jane Weasley struggled from the blood speckled bed as her husband of thirty two years slammed the bedroom door shut, standing in front of the wardrobe mirror she looked down at her bruised and battered body, if she had to leave the house today she was going to require quite a few glamour charms to cover all the cuts and bruises this time.

The bruises on her thighs made when her husband had forced her to submit to him yet again were large and painful, as were the imprints of his fists on her rib cage, the cut below her left eye still dripped blood.

She was sore and painful between her legs inside, and out side as well, but she would have to suffer that for now.

Waving her wand over the more painful areas Hermione did the best she could with healing charms, hopefully today was going to be the last time she would allow Ronald Bilius Weasley to treat her like a punch bag, today she was certain that all the secret work she had been doing for the last ten years would be complete. Tears of relief almost of joy fell down her cheeks as she thought _'today was the last time'_.

Hermione had been working every free minute she was able, each day after Ron left for work she would open what looked like her old school trunk, and climb inside where there was a magically created room, all her secret books and purchases lined the shelves that covered most of the walls. Carefully almost lovingly she removed her latest acquisition, Hedwig Harry's owl had somehow found it for her just a few weeks ago, and as usual the owl had waited until Ron had left the house before delivering it. Hermione had thanked the stars for the intelligence of Hedwig, and for whoever it was that was helping her, she thought it might be George Weasley but she had no way of knowing for sure. She was sure that with out that help she would never have been able to get to where she was.

Hedwig had turned up ten years ago, just two days after Harry had been murdered, Hermione knew that Ron had been the one who had shot Harry, though where he got his hands on a Muggle gun she had no idea. That and she had no real proof that her husband was a murderer; she had just put all the clues together.

The ministry said that Harry had been shot by a Muggle mugger who had tried to rob him, but there had been clues for those looking in the right place, Harry died shot in the back of the head, just two weeks after his wife Ginny had turned up at Ron and Hermione's front door threatening to kill Hermione, she had told them when they had managed to calm her down enough, that Harry had left her after an argument and him admitting he had been in love with Hermione since they set Sirius free in their third year at school, he had also said he only married Ginny because Hermione was with Ron, and it was expected of him by almost all the people he knew, he had never actually loved anyone other than Hermione.

Hermione in her joy at the knowledge that Harry loved her had made what she thought was the worst mistake of her entire life that evening, after Ron left to take Ginny home she wrote Harry a note, and in it she told him she had always loved him and always would, she wrote and told him she had married Ron because she thought he loved Ginny, she told him a little of her life at the hands of the monster she had married.

The mistake was giving the letter to Ron's owl pig to deliver and forgetting to tell the owl to give it to Harry personally. The owl delivered the letter to Harry's house just as it usually did with mail, it delivered it while Ron was still there and dropped the letter on the table, Ginny read the letter then handed it to Ron.

The day Harry died Ron had beaten Hermione once again, and took her wand away, leaving her unable to heal herself and locked in their bedroom, she remembered wishing that one of her children would visit but they rarely did, they had seen Ron's violence and had turned out just like him.

Ron had once again gloated on the fact that he, the supposedly thick Ronald Weasley, had fooled the great Harry Potter for years, he had hated Harry Potter almost as much as Malfoy did, but being best friend of the boy who lived had paid high dividends, so Ron had cultured the so called friendship even fooling Hermione. Then with an odd look of satisfaction Ron had left the house at his normal time, he had how ever arrived at work nearly an hour later than normal, Harry's body was discovered that evening in a back alley where it had lain all day undisturbed.

Hermione looked down at the cauldron in front of her, it had taken three months but today the potion was ready, her reflection glittered back at her from the golden surface of the bubbling potion, the colour was perfect and she was confident in her abilities, if the book was right then today she was going to be with Harry once again.

Slowly and carefully she ladled the contents of the cauldron in to a goblet, then placed it on the small work bench in front of her, she lovingly stroked the worn leather cover of the book lying next to the goblet, then opened it up. Turning to page five hundred and four she began to read the words out loud, when she had finished reading the ritual she pointed her wand at her self and swirled it to the left four times then swirled it to the right eight times as she reread the words from the book. Then taking her wand she waved it up and down gently over the goblet, repeating the words 'inclino tergum aetas' as she tapped the goblet and carefully counted thirty seven taps of her wand on the side of the goblet.

Hermione picked up the glowing goblet, today she would be reunited with Harry one way or the other, if the magic had failed she would soon be with him in death, either way she would be better off than she was in this miserable life she was now trapped in. Slowly she lifted the goblet to her lips and began to drink without pause, having emptied the goblet she placed it down next to the book then pointing her wand at her self one more time she repeated the words 'inclino tergum aetas'.

The pain was more excruciating than the cruciatus curse and the golden light that filled her vision was blinding, for a few brief moments Hermione Weasley thought that she had failed, then the darkness overwhelmed her and she felt herself slipping away from the world of the living.

When Hermione's eyes refocused she was watching as the evil Umbridge was being taken away by the centaurs.

The relief that flooded through her as she realised her spell and ritual had worked was almost overwhelming, for a few moments she forgot the danger they were in from the angry centaurs, then just as she remembered they were rescued by Hagrid's half brother Grawp.

As she and Harry made their way out of the forest Hermione felt her younger self taking control again, it seemed an odd situation as she talked to herself explaining that she only wanted to help, she begged her younger self to allow her control of their body while she took them to Grimmauld place where she would have time to explain things properly, young Hermione wanted to know how and why right there and then until the older Hermione used her trump card.

'_You love the boy don't you, then you can't let him go to the ministry, Voldemort is there waiting'_ she told herself '_and we don't have time for explanations yet, I promise if after I tell you what's happening you want me out I will leave you alone'_

Young Hermione confused by what was taking place in her head but still determined to help and protect Harry finally relaxed and let this unusual side of her take over.

"Harry, Harry hold it," Hermione said panting.

Harry stopped running and looked around at his best friend "Come on Hermione we have to get to the Ministry I have to help Sirius," he said anxiously.

Hermione reached out her hand to him and Harry grabbed it and tried to pull her along.

"Harry wait," she said as she wrapped an arm around him, then with a crack she apparated them to Grimmauld place.

Harry's eyes were wide as he stared around him at his surroundings "How did you, Why did you do that?" he asked amazement showing in his voice.

"Sirius is not at the ministry, he's here at number twelve, probably feeding Buckbeak, Kreacher lied to you Harry, he's not your elf he can tell you anything he wants," Hermione said as she walked toward number twelve.

Just a few minutes later they were sitting in the kitchen of number twelve with Sirius, Harry was explaining to him what had been happening, while Harry talked to Sirius, Hermione spoke to her self and explained that she had come from the future; she revealed her memories to the younger Hermione to prove she was telling the truth.

'_So if you don't agree that I can be of great help then you can just kick me out, if on the other hand you do agree and allow it to happen, then we will merge and become one, you will know all that I know, all the magic, all the potions all the memories, what ever you decide there is no way back for me'_ Hermione told her younger self.

Young Hermione did not take long to think it over, she loved Harry and would do anything she could to help him, also she did not want to live the life she had been shown, she at first thought it impossible that their best friend Ron could be the way her older self had revealed, but after thinking about it her faith in Ron began to waver, so she made the decision she would willingly give up her life if it brought happiness to Harry, and besides if her older self was right making Harry happy would have the effect of making herself happy as well.

Voldemort struck at Harry again just after the arrival of Dumbledore and several other members of the order of the phoenix, as Harry writhed in agony seeing visions of Sirius being tortured, Hermione heard her older self encouraging her to kiss Harry for all she was worth.

"Voldemort is waiting with his death eaters for Harry at the department of mysteries in the ministry," Hermione told Dumbledore as she turned to Sirius.

Dumbledore organised the order members into a small fighting force and gave orders for them to disapparate to the ministry, as Sirius and Remus stood to go Hermione grabbed Sirius by his wrist "Harry needs you more than they do," she told him.

Getting some of the remaining order members to hold Harry still, Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry's neck, then to the shock and surprise of those in the room she kissed him with all the passion she had built up inside, she gently rubbed her tongue across his bottom lip until she began to get a response, then suddenly she found Harry kissing her back fiercely.

Harry began to laugh as they broke the kiss to gasp at some air, "Hermione, I love you!" Harry declared laughing loudly, then he kissed her again.

Again Harry laughed when they broke the kiss "Hermione you just gave Voldemort the most pain he has ever felt in his entire life," he said still laughing.

Harry was still being held by Remus, Sirius, and Tonks and Hermione still had her arms around his neck, she saw in his eyes his sudden realisation of what had happened as it reached through his confusion, he stretched his neck upward to give her another more gentle and obviously love filled kiss, Sirius looked around at those in the room who were all staring wide eyed at the young couple, then nodding at Remus and Tonks he let go of Harry and moved quietly away.

Wrapping his arms gently around Hermione Harry finished the kiss then explained that through the connection Voldemort had opened with him, all the love that they shared had suddenly overwhelmed Voldemort's control and allowed the love to flow into his evil soul causing him to curl up on the floor in agony.

"I don't think he will be trying to use that method again," Harry said chuckling.

Hermione slowly unwrapped her arms from Harry's neck as Sirius chuckled and winked at her, "That was some kiss eh Harry?"

Hermione's face turned red as she realised what she had done, looking around she saw all those there were grinning, all but one that is, Mrs Weasley did not look at all happy, Hermione could only surmise that the older woman had thought that she and Ron belonged together, the thought made her shiver.

Dumbledore returned around thirty minutes later with the news that he had fought Voldemort in the atrium of the ministry in front of Fudge and several members of the Wizengamont, he then began to question them, he wanted to know why she had kissed Harry, and what had given her the idea, he also wanted to know from Harry just what had happened with Voldemort, he also wanted to know how they had arrived at Grimmauld place.

Hermione was very grateful when Sirius put an end to the questions by insisting that any questions be left until Harry had had a sleep and recovered from his ordeal. Together hand in hand Harry and Hermione walked up the stairs to the rooms they had used earlier in the year.

Outside her room Harry took both Hermione's hands in his, after giving her a gentle kiss he said "We need to talk in the morning." Letting go of her he turned and walked to his own room, Hermione watched him until he closed his bedroom door, turning slowly she walked into her own room and was in bed and asleep within minutes.

The merger of the two Hermione's souls seemed to take the form of a dream, as Hermione slept the merger began, the older Hermione's memories and the younger souls memories all began to merge, life in the tent during the hunt for the Horcruxes, the battle of Hogwarts and Voldemort's defeat, her wedding to Ron, the beatings and all that went with them, then Harry's murder and all that came after all flashed through the dream as the souls joined together. Then their magic merged and the room had a blue white glow filling it for a few seconds. When Hermione woke from the dream she was still the younger girl she had always been but with the memories of her older self. The two separate souls had become one. For the first few minutes she was rather confused by it all but gradually everything began to fall into place and feeling rather happy about having kissed Harry she fell back into a refreshing sleep where she dreamt about Harry and a lot of kissing.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione awoke early the following morning, memories of what had happened the day before filled her mind almost instantly, getting up she wandered dreamily to the bathroom, thoughts of the way Harry had kissed her with that last loving kiss flooded her m

None of the Harry Potter characters belong to me, I have only borrowed them.

Second time Love

Standing up to Dumbledore

Hermione awoke early the following morning, memories of what had happened the day before filled her mind almost instantly.

She was pleased to realise that her younger self was the most dominant half of the two joined souls. She had not changed very much if at all, apart from feeling braver now than she ever did before, but that could be because the boy of her dreams had kissed her.

Getting up from the bed she wandered dreamily to the bathroom. Thoughts of the way Harry had kissed her with that last loving kiss flooded her mind, it was a kiss that dreams were made of, the kind of kiss that made a girl go weak at the knees.

She relived the kiss as she took her shower; then again as she brushed her teeth, and all over again as she brushed her flyaway hair.

Walking down to breakfast she knew she would be facing questions from Dumbledore but she would deal with him after she had talked to Harry and not before. Entering the kitchen she saw several order members standing or sitting around but there was no sign of Harry.

Without saying anything more than a quick good morning Hermione poured out two mugs of tea from the large tea pot sitting in the centre of the table, picking up the mugs she made her way up stairs to Harry's room.

Using her elbow on the door handle she opened the door just in time to see the bare butt of Harry who was just pulling up his boxers having had his morning shower, his shoulder length hair still hung damp and glistening, as was his back, his naked torso was amazingly well developed for someone of his age, she decided that the muscles were due to all the quidditch.

Knowing Harry loved her, and would always love her, gave Hermione the courage to overcome her natural shyness and ignoring his blushes she walked over to him and handed him a mug of tea, "We need to talk," she said as she pulled out her wand and placed some rather intricate and secure locking and silencing charms on the door. If anyone wanted to get in they would have a very hard time getting around the charms she had designed herself while on the hunt for Horcruxes.

Once the charms were in place she sat down on the bed and patted the mattress next to her, indicating for Harry to sit as well, sipping her tea she told Harry about all the things that Dumbledore had kept from him, she missed nothing out from how manipulative the headmaster was to how he was using Harry for his own purposes, she finished with "He might be doing what he thinks is for the best but he has made too many mistakes, mistakes that will eventually cost lives, and the hunt for those pieces of Voldemort's soul should have started ages ago."

Harry listened carefully to all Hermione told him and she could see him getting annoyed, "Harry it will do no good getting angry at what has been done, what we need to do is work out what to do about it all," she said taking hold of his hand.

She was slightly surprised that Harry did not question how she knew the things she told him but supposed that if she thought about it Harry had always trusted and relied on her knowledge and intelligence.

Harry coughed and looked a little uncomfortable as he tried to say some thing, "Er Hermione about yesterday, you kissed me, why?"

Hermione thought about it for a second before answering "You kissed me back, I could ask you why," She said with a chuckle "but to answer your question, it was the only way I could think of getting through to you."

"Well I wouldn't complain if you got my attention like that all the time," Harry said laughing.

"I suppose a girl could do that with a boyfriend," Hermione replied with a girlish giggle "but this girl doesn't have a boyfriend yet."

Harry chuckled a little before he leant toward her and placed a kiss on her cheek "I could do with a girlfriend, seeing as how Cho wasn't quite as good looking or as nice to be with as you, and if you haven't got your eye on a red headed someone else, how would you like the job?" he asked smiling and his eyes twinkling.

Hermione wondered why they had never spoken like this before, "Yes Harry," she answered knowing that now they truly were more than best friends, she kissed him on his cheek and repeated herself "Yes Harry."

Harry stuttered a little as he asked "You will, you'll be my girlfriend?"

Hermione chuckled as she answered him "Yes Harry, I'll be your girlfriend."

Harry jumped from the bed and forgetting he was only wearing his boxers he leapt into the air and yelled "Yes, yes, yes," as loud as he could, almost losing his boxers as he jumped.

Hermione fell back on the bed laughing and remembered the condition they had been in on the same day in her other life, when she had been hospitalised and having to drink ten different potions a day, and Harry had been miserable and inconsolable over Sirius's death, this time she would do all she could to make Harry's life happy, and that in turn would make her happy.

Hermione waited as Harry got dressed then hand in hand they walked down to the kitchen where they found Dumbledore was waiting for them.

Harry spoke before Dumbledore had time to ask any questions, "Why? Why have you treated me the way you have?" he asked without emotion.

Albus Dumbledore's mouth dropped open as he looked at the expressionless face of Harry.

"I'm not sure I know what you mean Harry," Dumbledore began "but maybe we should talk in private."

"Oh no, that's alright I want these people to know why you left me with my aunt and uncle when you knew they were mistreating me," Harry replied.

"I did not want you to grow up a pampered little prince, I wanted you to grow up as normal a boy as could be under the circumstances," Dumbledore began.

Harry cut him off with a snort "Oh so growing up being abused and beaten is growing up as a normal boy?"

There were murmurings from the order members who were listening, Sirius had straightened up in his chair as he heard Harry say he had been abused.

"I really think we should have this conversation in private," Dumbledore said looking annoyed.

"If you want the boy who lived as a weapon then you had better come up with a much better reason for my being abused, starved, and beaten for ten years, and I want to know why you have wasted the last five years, instead of training me and preparing me for what is to come you have done the opposite, and I think these people who have put their trust in you should know what has happened to me," Harry said still showing no emotion.

Hermione was amazed at the courage and determination of Harry as he faced the old headmaster. She reached down and took hold of Harry's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Harry I put you with your mothers sister because the blood bond created when your mother gave her life for you was the most powerful way of keeping you safe," Dumbledore was saying when Harry once more interrupted.

"Ah being safe as in being treated as a slave, almost starved to death, being beaten and kept locked up, having a cupboard under the stairs as a bed room for ten years, yes I can see how that would be keeping me safe, the fact I haven't grown into some deranged lunatic is no thanks to you," this time when Harry spoke his voice was full of venom, "In the Muggle world what you did is a crime, did you know that, they send people to prison for slavery."

Dumbledore had a tear in his eye as he watched Harry get up from his seat and walk away with one final parting remark "What did I ever do to you that was so bad."

Hermione along with Sirius followed Harry, when they entered Harry's bed room Sirius spoke up after clearing his throat. "I never knew Harry, I mean I knew that your mum and Petunia did not get on but I never guessed Petunia would treat you like that."

"I blame no one but Dumbledore for that, he knew how I was treated but did nothing, absolutely nothing," Harry told his godfather, he felt sick thinking of how he had always looked up to and respected Dumbledore.

Hermione told Sirius about the prophesy, Sirius said he had an idea but he was never told the actual wording, he was as shocked as Harry had been when he realised that Dumbledore had indeed failed Harry and the rest of them by wasting the last five years.

Sirius and Mr Weasley escorted Harry and Hermione back to the school using a portkey, Mr Weasley made the usual offer to the two best friends of his son, they would be welcome to spend a couple of weeks at the Burrow.

Two days before the end of term Dumbledore sent a note to Harry asking him to visit him in his office that evening at eight.

Both Harry and Hermione turned up and when the headmaster said that he needed a word in private, Harry surprised both Dumbledore and Hermione when he replied that he would like his fiancée to remain with him.

Dumbledore tried to apologise for the things that Harry had suffered in his short life, taking great pains to try and make them believe he did not know how bad things had been, neither of the teenagers forgot that the headmaster had already admitted he knew exactly what was happening, and then he proceeded to tell them about having arranged for the Dursleys not to mistreat Harry during the coming summer.

Hermione who through use of her own spells had managed to keep three of them hidden for a year while Voldemort was in charge of both the ministry and Hogwarts school, with freedom to do as he liked, turned on the headmaster.

"Harry will be spending the school holidays with me," she said almost hissing the words.

"I'm afraid Harry will have to go to the Dursleys if only for two or three weeks," Dumbledore said exasperated.

"I don't think so, you sir are not Harry's guardian, and out side this school you have absolutely no authority over what Harry does, or where he goes, so as I said Harry will be spending his holiday with me, I his fiancée unlike you will keep him both safe and happy, so if I was you I wouldn't waste time trying to find us," Hermione said calmly.

The two teenagers had absolutely no intention of letting Dumbledore dictate to them any longer, his manipulation was over, Harry would spend his holiday learning from Hermione, she was after all the cleverest person he had ever met, and as far as he was concerned at the moment she was his best hope of getting through it all alive, knowing the prophesy he realised that his future life lay in being able to defeat Voldemort as soon as was possible. They had no more time to waste being children, now it was time for them to grow up and take control.

Dumbledore's thought process was brought to a halt by Hermione's words, it did not take him many moments to realise she wasn't known as the brightest witch in her year for no reason, he did indeed have no authority over Harry outside the school, and there would be no way he could legally get the Dursleys to take him against his will, in fact they would be more than happy if they never saw Harry ever again. For the first time in many years Albus Dumbledore did not know what to do, he could appeal to Sirius but he knew that would be a waste of his breath and time. Then to add insult to injury the two teenagers as good as dismissed him when Hermione simply said "There is nothing else you wish to talk about is there," then just walking away and leaving the office.

Down in the entrance hall they met Malfoy and his cronies, Malfoy instantly insulted Hermione by calling her a mudblood, Harry had his wand out in a flash and was about to cast some spell or curse at the evil little Slytherin when Hermione stopped him, "don't waste your magic on the stuff people scrape from their shoes," she said grinning at Harry.

Cussing Malfoy grabbed for his wand but he found Hermione's fist could still hurt quite a lot, he was on the floor before he had got even close to his pocket, Malfoys cronies stood not knowing what to do while Malfoy lay flat on his back holding his nose.

"If I was you Malfoy, I wouldn't go around insulting my girlfriend," Harry said as they walked around him.

"Whats going on here, ah ten points from…" professor Snape shouted then stopped midsentence.

"I wouldn't finish that if I was you," Hermione said coldly as she stared defiantly at the potions master.

"Why you insufferable mudblood know it all," Snape shouted, that's when Severus found out that Harry had a very good right hook.

Another voice from behind them broke the silence that had fallen in the entrance hall "Ah Mr Potter and Miss Granger, one hundred points each for bringing sanity back to the school I think, don't you Severus, and I think another fifty points each for showing great restraint by not using magic when unjustly and severely provoked. Oh and by the way Severus if I ever hear you call one of my students that name again you will be looking for a new position, and get up of the floor, it looks most undignified." Professor McGonagall said before sending Crabbe and Goyle up to her office to deliver her luggage.

As they left Hogwarts for the summer Dumbledore stopped Harry and Hermione as they dragged their trunks out to the waiting carriages.

"I wish to try to apologise once again Harry, I realise now I should have trusted you more, I should have told you some things and I am sorry I did not do that, the only excuse I have is that I cared for you to much, I just wanted you to have a normal childhood, I thought I would tell you when you were older," Dumbledore said sounding sincere.

Harry dropped his trunk and stared at the headmaster "How you can stand there and tell such lies, I don't know," he said to the astonished headmaster.

Dumbledore stood with his mouth open but no words were forming, he shook his head as though wishing he had not heard what had been said.

"You who placed me with cruel abusers, and knowing what I had to suffer you sent me back every year, how could you possibly care one iota about me when you were willing to do that, to put me through all that year after year," Harry spat out.

Grabbing his trunk Harry turned to Hermione "Come on love, lets go get some fresh air."

Dumbledore watched them load their trunks on to the carriage that would take them to Hogsmeade station and he knew that any respect or friendship, or indeed any connection at all he might have once had with Harry was gone, and sad as it was he could not blame the boy who had known no happiness outside his friend ships with Miss Granger and Mr Weasley, it would take a lot of work to regain the trust of his two favourite students.

As the carriage bounced it's way to Hogsmeade station Hermione sat cuddled tight into Harry's side, his arm lay across her shoulders and she had her head leaning against his chest, "Harry,"

"Hmmm, yes love,"

"You called me your fiancée, why'd you do that?" she asked.

"I wanted to stop Dumbledore making you leave,"

"Oh was, er was that the only reason?" Hermione's voice sounded apprehensive.

"Well yeah, but then, oh I don't know it just seemed like that's what you should be, you know my fiancée like," Harry replied awkwardly.

"Well shouldn't I have a ring or something if you are going to tell people I'm your fiancée?" Hermione said chuckling at his awkwardness

"Umm, er, yeah I suppose,"

Hermione's face broke out in a huge smile "And aren't you supposed to ask me something first?"

Harry somehow felt the smile in her voice and decided to join in the game she seemed to be playing "Yeah, I suppose I should really," he paused for effect "er, Hermione love, er, could you, er would you, er willyoutellmethetime," he choked out laughing.

Hermione gave him a thump on his shoulder and laughed with him but he caught just a glimpse of disappointment in her face before she began to laugh with him.

Once they had settled back down and their laughing had ended they both sat silent for the remaining few minutes until they reached Hogsmeade station, as Hermione reached to open the door harry caught her hand, "Oh by the way I just wondered if you might like to marry me some day?" he asked quietly before kissing her.

Neville Longbottom met them as they jumped down onto the platform "I'd love to Harry," Hermione said as Neville steadied her.

"Love to what?" Neville couldn't help asking.

"Oh I just asked Hermione to marry me," Harry said strutting around his friend.

Neville's eyes shot open "You did? What about?" and he nodded his head in Ron's direction.

"Well Ron isn't talking to us because I asked Hermione to be my girlfriend, so I don't think he will like us being engaged not one little bit," Harry said with a sad look on his face.

"I can't see what his problem is," Hermione said looking at the boy she had come to hate.

"Well everyone knows he fancies you, and some people even thought you fancied him," Neville commented quietly.

"Me fancy Ron? Why on earth would I fancy someone who annoys me so much?" Hermione said looking as though Neville was crazy "as a matter of fact I'm quite enjoying not having him argue with me all the time, perhaps he should stay this quiet all the time."

Harry and Neville followed Hermione onto the Hogwarts express, "Come on you two lets go find Luna and Ginny," she said as she led them down the train.


	3. Chapter 3

None of the Harry Potter characters belong to me, I have only borrowed them

None of the Harry Potter characters belong to me, I have only borrowed them.

Second time Love

The penny bet, Dumbledore and Ginny.

Hermione walked down the train looking for Ginny and Luna, she knew they would be together, they always rode the train together, having nearly reached the end of the train they found the two girls they were looking for and joined them in their compartment.

Hermione intended to let Ginny know that Harry was off limits, he was hers now and she would let no one take him away from her.

Hermione found Ginny's reaction to the news that she and Harry were now engaged quite a bit different to what she had expected; Ginny remained friendly though she did for a short time look just a little disappointed.

An hour into the journey Hermione excused her self and made her way out of the compartment, and headed for the washroom.

As soon as she was out of sight of the compartment she heard Ginny behind her.

"Hermione can I have a word," Ginny was asking in an unusually serious voice.

'_Ah this is more like it, the evil little tart wants to try and scare me off' _Hermione thought as she turned to face the young red head. "Yes Ginny, what is it?"

"I know I don't have to tell you I love Harry, and most likely I always will, I just want to warn you now that you will regret it if you ever hurt him, I don't care who you are, friend or not, hurting Harry is not going to be a bright idea," Ginny said in a really threatening voice.

The surprise was evident in Hermione's voice when she answered "You really do love him then, it's not just a crush on the boy who lived?"

"Hermione, do you really think I would have offered to face death eaters, and maybe V-Voldemort him self for a crush?" Ginny almost whispered.

"Sorry Ginny, you just took me by surprise," Hermione answered honestly.

"Well just you remember, anyone, and I mean anyone who hurts Harry will have me after them," Ginny said firmly.

"What if it was Ron that was hurting Harry, what then Gin?" Hermione asked.

"Same goes for him and anyone else, even my own family," Ginny said as she turned to go back to her seat "they would deeply regret it."

The conversation with Ginny had Hermione just a little puzzled, she had been so sure in both lives that Ginny only wanted Harry for his fame, but the Ginny she had just spoken to, had a fierce passion in her eyes when she had threatened anyone who hurt Harry, passion and love beyond her years and Hermione had seen it in those eyes and knew it was real.

There was another surprise for Hermione when they reached Kings Cross, having climbed down from the train and said goodbye to Neville and Luna she turned to say good bye to Ginny.

The young red haired girl hugged Hermione tight and whispered in her ear "Keep him safe, and love him truly." Before waving goodbye and walking away.

Harry tapped Hermione on her shoulder as she watched Ginny disappear into the milling crowd of students, turning to him she saw him pointing at something further along the platform, looking where he was pointing she saw her parents, and to her surprise they were talking to Dumbledore.

"If he has persuaded my parents not to allow you to come with us, I'll hex the old prat into next year," Hermione exploded causing several of the younger students nearby to hurriedly move away.

Harry had to drag both of their trunks along the platform as Hermione charged off toward where her parents and Dumbledore stood, the three adults stared at her as she approached them looking like she was going to erupt at any second.

Dumbledore remembering their very recent encounters headed Hermione off before she could start, with a small cough to clear his throat and to gain her full attention he turned to look her in the eye, finding she averted her eyes from him he spoke up

"Miss Granger, Mr Potter, I was just arranging for your parents to take care of a dog for me, you will no doubt remember Snuffles, well he will be accompanying you on your holiday this year. your parents have also kindly offered to allow Mr Potter to accompany you as well, I hope this little gesture on my part will help you to see that though I have made many mistakes, I am trying to repair a little of the damage I have done, if there is anything I can do to help you I hope you will not hesitate to ask, and maybe one day when all this is over you might find it in your hearts to forgive an old mans mistakes."

Hermione could see a tear trickle down into the old mans beard and for a moment her heart felt for the old man, but then she remembered all Harry had been through, Dumbledore would need to do more than this to get Harry to forgive him and she knew it, never the less she nodded her head, she knew the old man wanted her help in rebuilding the bridges that had been demolished even though she had helped to demolish them.

Dumbledore turned to Mr Granger "I will deliver the dog later today at the address you have supplied," with that said he made to walk away.

"Headmaster, could we have a word with you when you deliver Snuffles?" Hermione asked politely though she was shaking a little as her anger and the adrenalin that fed it died down.

Dumbledore nodded before wishing them good bye and a safe journey.

"Wonder what all that was about?" Harry said as Mr Granger led them out to the car park.

"Well love I think of all the things we said, that last remark about getting some fresh air might just have really hit home, I really do think he regrets the things he did, like I said before, he did what he thought was for the best, he has made a lot of mistakes but I think he really might care for you,"

Harry looked at her like she had gone crazy, but then he began to think it over, he was going to need the help of both Dumbledore and the order if he and Hermione were to succeed, he gave a little chuckle at that last thought as he realised he no longer thought in the singular, what ever he thought of doing he thought of doing as a couple, and it made him feel warm inside, she was the only girl in the world who had seen him at his best, and at his worst, she had no interest in the boy who lived, she knew the real Harry Potter and still she loved him, "Maybe you're right, besides we are going to need him on our side," he said as they climbed into the rear of the Grangers car.

As soon as they arrived at her home Hermione left Harry and her father to carry in their luggage while she went off with her mother on a walk around the rather large garden, having chosen six places around the perimeter, using her wand Hermione started to carve intricate runes into the objects she had chosen, the first runes she carved into the root's of an ancient oak, slowly moving around the garden she completed all the six runes, now all she had to do was to wait for Dumbledore to arrive then she could complete her security measures, Mrs Granger decided it was time to make supper and went into the house leaving Hermione waiting on her own.

It was rather obvious that Dumbledore was going to do all he could to repair his relationship with Harry because he and Snuffles arrived as she finished the last of her preparations on the house its self.

Once The two visitors had entered the garden Hermione began to make several intricate movements with her wand, all the while she was chanting in some language neither of the two visitors knew, on the final wave they were surprised to see a beam of sapphire blue light slowly travel outward and upward from her wand, seconds later the light arched over and dipped to the ground before once again rising and travelling in a different direction, in just two minutes they found them selves standing under a six pointed canopy of blue lines of light, the star shaped canopy glowed with its blue light for several minutes the light spreading out until it covered the entire property then it suddenly vanished leaving no visible trace behind.

"Fascinating, absolutely fascinating," Dumbledore said as he looked at Hermione in a new light, "I take it that display was your protection wards going up," he said watching her blowing on the end of her now smoking wand.

Hermione nodded, "Yes sir though I still have the inner one around the house to do," she answered still trying to cool her wand down.

"The power from that charm almost set your wand on fire?" Dumbledore said more as a question than an observation.

"Yes it did get a little warm, and now that Harry and I are together it seems the magic is even stronger," Hermione replied as she led them toward the house.

"I take it that it is based on your love for Mr Potter," Dumbledore said smiling.

Hermione realised then that the magic was so much stronger because she now had the love of two life times in her heart for Harry, she wondered absently why she hadn't thought about that before but was dragged from her thoughts when Snuffles jumped up and licked her face, chuckling she stroked the huge black dog "Yes Snuffles, I love him enough to set my wand on fire."

After opening the door and inviting them into the house Hermione gave her wand a wave and pointed it at the front door step, the step glowed for a few seconds then returned to its normal look.

"That'll even prevent Dementors finding us," Hermione said as Snuffles changed from a dog into Sirius Black.

Walking through the rather large house they found Mr and Mrs Granger in the kitchen watching Harry standing by the cooker enjoying him self as he prepared their supper.

While Harry finished cooking Hermione and the two guests joined the older Grangers at the kitchen table, Hermione took a deep breath and then began to tell her parents all about Voldemort and what Harry had to do, she also informed them that she would be with Harry through it all right to the end.

She had expected her parents to shout and yell, to tell her she was crazy to be involved in a war but she was quite surprised when her dad spoke up.

Instead of talking to Hermione as she expected he spoke to her mother, a grim smile on his face.

"Just this once dear I really wish I had been wrong, but I think I win the bet."

Mrs Granger looked as sad as Hermione had ever seen her when she pulled out her purse and took out a penny coin "This is one penny I wish I had not lost," she said as she handed the penny to Mr Granger.

"Mum, dad, what's going on?" a baffled Hermione asked.

"I bet your mum that you were in love with Harry," Mr Granger said putting the penny into a small jar of coins.

"You bet a penny?" Hermione said sounding astonished.

"We always bet a penny when we have a bet, dear," Mrs Granger said smiling.

"How did you know?" Hermione asked her now grinning dad.

"I knew from the first letter you sent us after Halloween of your first year," Mr Granger said still grinning.

Hermione turned to her still sad looking mother "You don't approve?"

Mrs Granger reached across the table and took Hermione's hand "Oh I think you have fallen in love with the right man for you dear, it's just he, both of you have so much to bear on such young shoulders, I just wish my little girl could live a normal happy life, well when I say normal I mean, well you know what I mean."

Hermione nodded she did indeed know what her mother meant, she would love to live a normal life with Harry, to be able to go out on dates, to be able to walk around Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade holding hands and laughing with each other, without some one trying to kill one or both of them.

Dumbledore coughed "You wanted to talk to me, do we need to go somewhere private?"

Hermione looked at Harry then at her parents "No I don't think so, Harry you should sit down love."

Taking a deep breath Hermione looked around at those gathered around the table, there was no way they would believe where she found out what she was about to tell them, she just prayed they would not ask.

"First I need to say that I know about the Horcruxes, I also know where four of them are, the first three are going to be fairly easy to find and destroy, none of you are going to like what I have to say about the fourth one, though I think I have worked out a way to get rid of that one as well." She paused to give them time to digest what she said.

Albus Dumbledore's eyebrows rose up his forehead but he said nothing, her parents, and Harry asked what a Horcrux was, While Sirius said he thought that they were a myth, Hermione explained to Harry and her parents what a Horcrux was and how Voldemort had created six of them.

Silence followed her words as she saw the looks of horror on the faces around her.

"The locket, the one Regulus died retrieving is at Grimmauld place, Kreacher has it in his cupboard, the next one is a tiara, it's in the room of requirements, the third one is that snake Voldemort has with him all the time," she finished and stared at Harry.

"And the fourth one?" her mum asked.

"The fourth one is, it's, Harry has it, it's attached to his own soul, oh it cant affect him, it's just dormant like some sort of parasite," she answered quietly.

"You said Voldemort created six of these evil things?" Mr Granger said looking at his daughter; she looked so grown up all of a sudden.

"Yes, but maybe we should ask the headmaster about the other two," Hermione answered looking at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore nodded "I have two of them, but I have yet to figure a way to destroy one of them, Harry has already destroyed one, it was a diary he destroyed in his second year, when he saved the life of a young girl."

"Harry can destroy the stone with Gryffindor's sword," Hermione said looking at the headmaster "I know you don't want it destroyed, but it has to be done, and it has to be Harry that does it."

Dumbledore gave a tired smile "You are correct of course, it needs to be destroyed, but how do you know?"

Hermione smiled back at the old headmaster "You aren't the only one who has sought to own a myth." She looked with love at Harry.

"No I suppose not," Dumbledore agreed nodding his head.

"So the fourth one you said you have figured a way to destroy it?" Sirius asked looking worried.

"Yes, but we will need to go through the locked door, you need to get us into the department of mysteries," Hermione said looking at Dumbledore.

"Behind the locked door?" Harry asked looking puzzled.

"There is a room in the department of mysteries, it is kept locked at all times, within that room there is a force of such wonder, it is greater even than the forces of nature, Sirius and I were witness to some of that force just a short while ago," Dumbledore replied in answer to Harry's question.

"You said 'us', you said you need me to get 'us' into the room," Dumbledore said looking at Hermione.

"Yes well I will have to work out the details," Hermione said not wanting to reveal she had no idea yet just who or what would be needed to acquire enough of the force to work.

They ate their supper in silence, all of them alone with their thoughts. As soon as they had finished eating Dumbledore said his good byes and Hermione and Harry walked with him to the garden gate.

"I hope your wards are strong ones miss Granger, for they now need to protect Snuffles and your parents as well as you two," Dumbledore said as he opened the gate.

"Why don't you test them sir, another opinion on them would be quite welcome," Hermione replied as the gate swung shut.

Albus Dumbledore stood on the footpath and looked around, he wondered why he was there for a while, knowing he never went anywhere without reason he began to concentrate then slowly he began to remember, turning around he looked at the demolished fenced in building in front of him.

'_Umm excellent'_ he thought as he looked up and down the leafy lane, seeing no one around he pulled out his wand and did several intricate movements, then smiling to himself he turned and walked away.

'_Fascinating, I must congratulate miss Granger when next we meet, those wards are better than the blood wards I placed around number four Privet Drive'_ he thought before he disapparated.

That night Hermione tossed and turned in her bed as thoughts of the day's events ran through her mind, then she remembered Ginny's words, she was still thinking of them when she finally fell asleep.

The dream began as did all her dreams, random pictures of kissing Harry interspersed with pictures of her mum and Snuffles, then the dream changed.

'_Ginny was raging at Hermione because her husband had just admitted he was in love with the older woman, she was still shedding tears as she finally calmed and accepted that Hermione could not control who fell in love with her, then the scene changed it was just after Harry's funeral and she and Ron were in Diagon Alley doing their shopping, Hermione saw someone like Ginny going into Flourish and Blotts, then she saw several other occasions when they had seen Ginny shopping or supposedly visiting St Mungo's for various reasons, each time they had been near to the book shop, Hermione received a helpful note or a book the following day, the last part of the dream took Hermione back to her last visit to the Burrow, and something she had forgotten, Ginny had been there and as they left Ginny had whispered to Hermione "goodbye and good luck,"_ Hermione woke from the dream with a start.

After giving her pillows a good shaking and still not being able to go back to sleep Hermione made her way down stairs to the kitchen, sitting with a mug of hot chocolate in her hands she thought back, remembering all the help she had received in her research, she wondered why she had thought that George might be the one helping her, but the only thing she had based that on was he was the only one she knew who could brew just about any potion and he was always in Diagon Alley.

The more she thought about it the more convinced she became that Ginny in either of her lives would indeed seek revenge on anyone hurting Harry, even her own brother. after pondering the implications for a while she made her mind up, she would visit Ginny as soon as she could.


	4. Chapter 4

None of the Harry Potter characters belong to me, I have only borrowed them.

Second time Love

Ginny's in love with you too.

Hermione woke early the next morning and found that she was the only one up, having made and drunk a mug of refreshing tea she made a decision, things were different now to the way she remembered them, she had changed the past and no longer knew what was going to happen so she would have to live like everyone else, taking each day as it comes.

She decided she would see Ginny today, early before anyone else was around, she knew of course that the Weasley matriarch would already be awake but she did not wish to talk to her yet so she could not just arrive unannounced, but she did need to talk to someone and she thought that she could trust Ginny because she wanted more or less the same thing as herself, Harry Potter happy.

So she would need to make her visit to Ginny and Ginny only.

It did not take long for Hermione to dress and apparate to the Burrow, nor did it take her long to find Ginny's bedroom window, she had slept in that room almost as much as she slept in her own bedroom and knew it well.

Using a levitating charm on her self Hermione rose slowly upward until she was level with Ginny's window. She was pleased to see that it was ajar just as it normally was, it was always open to allow in any owls that might visit, very handy she thought as she reached over and grabbed the frame. Pulling herself gently toward the open window she came to rest on the window sill, then having removed the levitating charm from her self she opened the window and climbed in.

Ginny Weasley woke with a shout when she realised someone was in her room, Hermione had already pre-empted any yell or cry that Ginny might make by placing a silencing charm on the room.

"Ginny shush, it's only me," Hermione said trying to calm the red head.

"Hermione? Hermione what the heck are you doing sneaking about my bedroom at… what time is it anyway?" Ginny hissed angrily.

"It's nearly six," Hermione said as she checked her watch.

"Tell me you mean six in the evening, tell me you are not actually here at six o clock in the morning," Ginny said irritated, she was never very good in the mornings and the earlier it was the worse she felt.

"Ok if that's what you want me to tell you, but it wouldn't be the truth," Hermione said chuckling at the red haired girl who was rubbing her eyes.

"Ok so what do you want at this ungodly hour during the holidays?" Ginny asked sitting up in her bed.

"What you said to me on the train, about not hurting Harry I mean, did you really mean it or not?" Hermione asked as she sat next to Ginny on the bed.

"Of course I meant it, why what's happened?" Ginny asked suddenly looking at Hermione suspiciously.

"You won't like what I have to say, but if you meant what you said then I will need your help to stop Harry being really hurt," Hermione told the young girl.

"I don't think I like this," Ginny said seriously "so spill it, who or what has you so sure Harry is going to be hurt."

Hermione told Ginny all about Ron's jealousy and his plot to keep Harry from being happy, how Ron had known how both she and Harry felt for each other, but instead of helping them he had tried to convince them both that the other wasn't interested, "he even tried to get me to fall for him just so he could gloat over it to Harry," she finished.

"Hang on let me see if I have this right, both you and Harry admitted to Ron that you fancied each other," Ginny said looking into Hermione's eyes.

"Yes, we did," Hermione agreed.

"And then Ron lied to both of you and said you didn't like each other that way, just because he's actually jealous of Harry's fame and money, and you say he's stringing Harry along simply because there are benefits to being best friend of the boy who lived," Ginny sounded as though she couldn't believe what Hermione was saying.

"That about sums it up," Hermione nodded.

"So why's Ron giving you the silent treatment, we all thought it was because he fancied you?" Ginny asked.

"I suppose he's just a little annoyed that part of his plan failed," Hermione replied quietly.

"And how the heck do you know all this?" Ginny asked still not able to believe it of her brother.

Hermione had been ready for this question and she answered with out pause "I heard him talking in his sleep when I went to wake Harry."

"Have you told Harry?" Ginny wanted to know "and why tell me?"

"No I haven't told Harry, I don't know how, I told you because it was beginning to get me down and I needed some one to talk to, someone who could help when Harry finds out the bloke he trusts with his life, actually hates him." Hermione answered honestly.

"Well I don't know what I can do," Ginny said frowning, it seemed so unlike Ron, even Percy wasn't that bad.

'_I wonder what Ginny would say if she knew her dear brother was going to turn out to be a wife beater'_ Hermione thought as the two girls fell into an uneasy silence.

Ten minutes of silence later Hermione decided it was time to go home, she had done what she set out to do, she told Ginny the address of her parents, informing her she would have no trouble with sending owls but it would be a waste of time to try and actually find them.

At eleven that morning Harry opened the kitchen window to let in Ron's owl 'pig', the little ball of fluffy feathers flew around the room but was no match for Harry's quidditch skills, having caught pig Harry removed and read the letter while Hermione and her mum watched with some interest.

"It's from Ginny, she says she will be out side in the street at eleven thirty, her dads going to drop her off and can you meet her," Harry read, he did not seem to happy about it "why would Ginny be coming over, and how would she know how to find us?"

"It's ok Harry, I told Ginny the address so she could send us owl post, as to why she is visiting we will just have to wait to find out," Hermione told him calmly.

"Ok but you're not stepping out there on your own," Harry declared as he picked up his half pint glass mug and poured himself some orange juice.

At eleven thirty both Harry and Hermione stood at the garden gate, still within the wards but able to see out into the street.

The sound of a crack, rather like a car back firing made them both turn their heads to look to the right, standing a few yards away just outside the confundus charm limit were Mr Weasley and Ginny.

Hermione knew instantly that there was something wrong, the way Mr Weasley had his arm around his daughter told the story, Ginny was crying.

Both Harry and Hermione realised at the same time and together they rushed out to their friend and her father. Holding the crying Ginny between them they led the way into the hidden garden and on up to the house.

Ginny sobbed with her head bowed all the way to the kitchen, Hermione helped the younger girl to sit at the table, it was then that Harry saw something that turned his stomach.

"Who the bloody… who did this?" he asked a rather worried and upset looking Arthur Weasley.

Hermione stared in disbelief at the two black eyes and swollen lip and other bruises on Ginny's face, Mr Weasley pulled out his wand.

"Can I do the charms now?" he asked sounding upset.

Ginny looked around the room at Hermione, then Hermione's mum, then finally at Harry, before she nodded to her dad.

"She wouldn't let us do anything till she saw you two," Arthur said almost guiltily.

A few waves of his wand healed most of the bruising, leaving just a little yellowing where the bruises had been.

"It was Ron wasn't it?" Hermione asked Arthur.

"Hermione don't be silly Ron wouldn't…" Harry stopped talking when Arthur replied.

"To my eternal shame, Yes it was Ron, I have never seen a man hit a woman before, but to do it with so much hate and anger," Arthur said looking at Hermione's mum.

"Ron hit Ginny…" Harry said disbelief evident in his voice.

"Oh Gin, I'm so sorry, I never expected this," Hermione said tears falling down her cheeks.

"Why the heck would Ron hit a girl?" Harry asked still not able to understand that a boy could hit a girl; he found it impossible to imagine someone hitting their own sister.

Ginny turned to Harry "You want to know why he did this Harry, I'll tell you why your so called best friend did this, he did it because I said I was going to tell you how he has been stringing you along, how he hates you, but loves being the best friend of the boy who lived, he hates you and he even tried to stop Hermione falling for you. That's why he did this, he is so full of hate for everyone, he hates it because you have money and fame, he hates it because he can't live up to his brothers, he hates it because we don't have much money, on top of that he thinks he isn't as clever as the average person."

As all this sank in Harry began to get more and more angry, as if he didn't have enough trouble in his life he had to have this as well, Ron or not he was not going to get away with hitting a girl, especially one of his friends, grabbing his wand off the table he headed for the door.

"Harry, he's not there, he's in St Mungo's, the boys Fred, George, and Percy, caught him hitting Ginny," was all Arthur said to stop Harry's mad rush for the door.

Hermione was still in some shock, she knew Ron had hit her often in the other life but she had never thought he would hit his sister. he had hit Hermione when she had been trapped in her marriage to him, there was no leaving your husband in the wizarding world, no divorce, no separations unless the woman managed to get help and left the country and lived somewhere with out magic as a Muggle. Tears fell down her cheek as she silently blamed herself for Ginny's injuries.

Arthur asked Hermione's mum if he would be able to leave Ginny with them for a while, he had to do a lot of thing's and he did not think his wife would be able to cope, "She's devastated is Molly, she was so proud of all of our sons, and Ginny specially of course, but for one of them to turn out like this, it has really shaken her."

Mrs Granger agreed that Ginny could stay as long as she wished, she could share Hermione's bedroom, she waved Arthur away when he offered to pay for his daughter's food and board.

"Arthur Weasley, don't you dare," Mrs Granger said "you have had Hermione stay over at the Burrow almost as much as we have had her home, now don't be silly; friends should always be willing to help out when needed."

Sirius offered to accompany Arthur to collect Ginny's trunk "After all she's going to need her things," he said while Arthur shook his head.

"If I find you putting your self in danger for me, I'll put my foot up your butt," Ginny said to Sirius smiling.

"Me too," Added Arthur, Harry, and Hermione, together.

"I wont tell you what I intend to do to you Sirius Black, if you so much as think of stepping outside our garden," Mrs Granger said laughing.

Sirius shrugged at Arthur then walked over to examine something on the cooker. Arthur gave a small chuckle before saying that he would bring the Trunk himself now that he knew where the house was.

"I think you should arrange to meet us out side again," Hermione stated.

"Ok how about in an hour then?" Arthur replied smiling at Hermione's authoritive voice.

By lunch time on the fifth day of Ginny's stay with them, Hermione was beginning to get worried about the awkward atmosphere around the house, and Harry though he was a boy and somewhat slow on picking up on people's feelings had definitely noticed the change.

Still Hermione felt guilty that Ginny had to stay away from home because of something she had told her.

Though he had said nothing yet Harry was getting annoyed with Hermione, because since Ginny arrived Hermione hardly let him kiss her, and when she did it was usually just a quick peck before she moved away, she no longer held his hand during their meals at the table, or when they walked in the garden, she didn't sit with him on the sofa as they watched the TV, in fact as far as Harry was concerned it seemed that Hermione had lost interest in him and was treating him almost as a stranger.

"Ok what the heck have I done?" Harry suddenly asked as they all ate their lunch.

Sirius, who had also noticed the rapid cooling of Hermione's affections toward his godson, excused himself and with a worried frown went to sit in the living room.

"Sorry Harry, what do you mean?" Hermione asked pushing her plate away.

"Look if you have changed your mind and you want to finish with me, just say so, and I'll go pack my things," Harry said getting up from the table and heading to the door.

"Harry, where are you going?" Mrs Granger asked looking from him to her daughter.

"Like I said I'll go and pack my stuff," he replied opening the door.

Hermione sat stunned she could not believe that while trying to save Ginny's feelings she had pushed Harry away, she had almost blown everything and now he was walking away from her.

Harry reached the door and had it open, with one last glance at Hermione who was just sat staring at him, he shrugged "Well it was nice while it lasted," he said then he was gone.

"Don't just sit there you fool," Mrs Granger said giving Hermione's shoulder a shove "you need to reach him before he packs his trunk."

Hermione almost fell from her chair before she snapped out of her stunned state, she jumped to her feet and raced up the stairs, reaching Harry's bedroom door just as it shut, she didn't even bother to knock, opening the door she rushed across the room and threw herself into his arms.

She was still kissing him a minute later when there was a small knock on the door, pulling apart and quickly straightening their clothes they both said "come in."

Ginny stood in the doorway looking slightly guilty and sad.

"I think it's time I went home, I don't want to be the cause of all this," Ginny said

"Be the cause of what?" Harry asked slightly bewildered by all that was happening.

"Hermione knows what I mean Harry, I'll pack my things, oh and can I send Godric to ask dad to pick me up," she said as she turned to go.

"Sure Gin, and thanks," Hermione said as Ginny left them.

"What's going on Hermione?" Harry asked still baffled by it all.

"I'm sorry about how I neglected you love, it's just, I didn't want to upset Ginny," Hermione told him.

Harry still looked puzzled "You have no idea do you?" Hermione asked him.

"Eh?" was all he answered.

"Well Ginny is in love with you as well you great prat, I was sort of trying to spare her feelings, I sort of forgot all about our feelings, about you and me, I really am sorry," Hermione said quietly, "I wont let it happen again though you can bet on that."

"Ginny loves me, you got to be kidding," Harry managed to say before the huge smile spread across his face "Wonder how many more girls love me."

Hermione gave him a gentle thump on his shoulder "You are mine Potter and don't you forget it, now give me another kiss."

When Mr Weasley arrived to collect Ginny he told them that Ron was still in St Mungo's undergoing some sort of treatment and would not be allowed out for quite a while. Hermione wondered if what was wrong with Ron could be treated but she doubted it.

Harry was a little uncomfortable when he hugged Ginny while saying goodbye, Hermione promised to get things right for when they visited the Burrow. Then with all the good byes said Hermione, Harry, Sirius and Mrs Granger stood at the gate and gave a final wave.

"You know you two had me worried for a while," Sirius said as they walked back into the house.

"Me too," Mrs Granger added as she pushed them all through the door way.

Harry simply remained silent, it looked like he was in deep thought.


	5. Chapter 5

None of the Harry Potter characters belong to me, I have only borrowed them.

Second time Love

Chapter 5.

Petrificus Totalus

After watching the two Weasleys disapparate Hermione led a very thoughtful Harry back into the house, and without stopping she led him straight up stairs to his bedroom, where she began to try make up for some of the damage she had done to their relationship.

"Hermione," Harry gasped as he came up for air from the first kiss and gently pushed her away.

"Yes love,"

"While we were waiting for Mr Weasley, I was thinking, and I don't get it, why would Ginny fancying me stop you from kissing me and doing things like holding my hand, or just sitting with me while we tried to watch that fuzzy display you call TV?" Harry asked

"Well I…" she began before Harry cut her off.

"I just don't get it, see, I thought you really loved me, you know, the real thing getting married and all that, kind of love, I mean I still kissed you and held your hand even when I knew it was upsetting my so called best friend, it never occurred to me to hide these feelings I have for you, I just don't get it." Harry sat down on the bed his shoulders slumped over; the hurt in his eyes was still there just as it had been when he had made to leave earlier.

Hermione stood with her mouth open, she had no idea she had hurt him so much, she realised that he must have been thinking about the past few days, he was reliving all the times she had pushed him away, all the rejection she had shown toward him, and she had no idea what to say.

"I think I should go back to the Dursleys for a few days," he suddenly said as he got up and opened his trunk.

Hermione was beginning to panic, she felt as though her world was falling apart and she had no idea what to say or do.

"I… I was trying to spare a young girl's feelings, I didn't want to rub it in her face that we were together…" she knew when she said it that it sounded futile.

"See that's the part I don't get," he said as he chucked his few possessions into his trunk and shut the lid, "do you think more of Ginny's feelings than mine?" he asked before he started to pick up his trunk by the handle nearest to the door, "how she feels is more Important than how I felt when you wouldn't kiss me, or hug me, or hold my hand, is that what you are trying to tell me?" Harry threw the last of his shirts into the trunk "you don't need to see me to the door; I'll get the knight bus to the Dursleys." With that he tightened his grip on his trunk and began to drag it to the door.

The spell hit Harry squarely between the shoulder blades as he opened the door. "Petrificus Totalus," Hermione screamed as she pointed her wand at him.

Harry froze in the door way, slowly falling backward onto his trunk, Hermione was furious, not with Harry, but with herself as she thought about just how absolutely stupid she had been, and the stupid reason she had come up with, years of longing for him to notice she was a girl, years of trying to hide her feelings for him because she thought he didn't feel the same way, years of loving him, and now that they were finally together it looked like she had blown it. As he had opened the bedroom door something inside her seemed to snap.

"You are going nowhere Harry James Potter, you are a wizard and you are my fiancée, and you are going to listen to what I have to say," she shouted at him before she levitated him over on to his bed.

The thunder of feet rushing up the stairs was lost on Hermione as her mind spun wildly trying to think of a way to prove her love for the man she would willingly die for.

Sirius was the first to enter the room closely followed by Hermione's parents, "What the heck," Sirius said looking at Harry lying stiff as a board on the bed.

"He was going to leave me," Hermione sobbed.

"Well do you blame him?" Sirius asked pulling out his own wand "you've been so cold toward him I'm surprised he stuck it out so long."

"Hermione love, what have you done?" Mrs Granger asked looking worriedly at Harry.

"He was going to leave me mum," she sobbed again "I've loved him with all my heart since the day we first met, and I waited all these years for him to notice me, I cant remember how many nights I cried myself to sleep because he didn't seem to love me back, then I go and cock it all up because I was afraid Ginny would take him away again…" she trailed off as her mother took her into her arms.

"Did you tell Harry all this," Sirius asked still looking at his petrified godson.

Harry lay on the bed silently screaming at them to free him, then as he listened to Hermione a small tear escaped his eye and trickled down his cheek, he remembered how she had always dealt with things using her head and ignoring her heart, he knew she relied on logic and books to much, he suddenly realised she had done the 'logic' thing again, and she had yet again gone about things the wrong way.

Then he remembered just how much she did love him, and it no longer mattered to him what she had done over the past few days, he thought back over all the things they had been through, things that proved her love for him so much more than any kiss, or hug, or word, could ever do, all he wanted to do now was to get up and hold her in his arms. He tried to move his eyes to plead with Sirius to free him but it was impossible.

"Hermione love, for the past few days you treated him almost like a stranger, if he wants to leave you have let him go, give him time to think it over, now you set him free," Mrs Granger said firmly before she turned and ushered the two men standing behind her out of the room and followed them.

Hermione sat down on the edge of the bed and wiped her tears away, "Harry, I love you with all my heart, and I'm sorry I messed up, I'm going to free you now, please don't be too mad with me, I just… I love you." more tears began to fall down her face as she stood and once again pointed her wand at him and whispered "Finite."

Harry reached for her hand as she moved away from the bed, pulling her till she was forced to sit down next to his pillow, still lying on the bed he then shuffled around a little until he could rest his head in her lap, neither of them spoke as Hermione began to run her free hand through his messy yet silky hair, Harry looked up into her eyes and then gently squeezed the hand he still had a hold of, then he put his free arm around her waist and buried his head into the softness of her stomach squeezing her tightly.

Hermione let her tears fall and gently ran her hand through his silky hair as he held her tight, she knew then exactly how much he did love her, thoughts of how cold hearted she had been for the past few days entered her mind letting her know how close she had come to driving him away, after all what boy would want to be with cold hearted girl who showed him no affection at all, she thanked what ever deity might be in charge realising she had come so very close to ruining her chances and losing him for a second time.

They stayed holding each other like that for what seemed to have been a wonderful piece of eternity until Mrs Granger shouted up to them "Hermione love is everything ok."

Rolling onto his back "We're fine Mum," Harry shouted, a huge smile breaking out on his face "absolutely fine."

"No hanky panky up there," came Sirius's voice with a small laugh in it.

"I think we should go down sweetheart," Harry said quietly.

"I love you so much Mr Potter," Hermione said as she leant over and kissed him tenderly.

"No kissing on the bed," Harry said when she broke the kiss "you never know what might happen." Then he chuckled and sat up.

"Harry James Potter! I have no idea what you mean," Hermione said pouting "besides we're not ready for that yet."

"We weren't ready to face a mountain troll either," Harry said laughing before jumping up from the bed pulling her with him "come on you, before my sixteen year old teenage hormones take over and I ravish that delectable body."

Once down in the kitchen Mrs Granger asked if everything was ok, as the two teenagers nodded she gave a sigh, "Good so have you got some thing you two want to tell me?"

Both Harry and Hermione looked at her as though she was crazy, then looked at each other questioningly.

"What's all this with Harry calling me mum?" Mrs Granger asked looking sideways at them.

"Oh that," Harry said looking at Hermione.

"Yes, oh that," Mrs Granger answered.

"Well Harry and I, we are sort of, well that is Harry asked me, and I said yes, and so we are sort of, you know, engaged," Hermione said rather quietly.

"Thank goodness for that," Mrs Granger sighed as she placed a hand over her heart "for a while there I thought you were, I thought I was going to be a…"

"Mum!" Hermione exclaimed rather loudly.

Harry stood and scratched his head "What did I do this time?"

"Mum thought I was pregnant," Hermione almost squeaked.

"You'd think we'd remember some thing like that, well I mean we would don't you think?" Harry said grinning.

"Harry, my mum thought I was going to have a baby, this is no time for silly grins," Hermione said looking really annoyed at her mother and Sirius who had started to chuckle.

"There's a simple explanation dear," Mrs Granger said scowling at both her husband and Sirius, "After all the yelling, and the spell, and then it went all quiet up stairs, Sirius said that when witches get pregnant they get all hormonal, refusing to speak one minute and yelling the next and throwing spells around, and you seemed…"

"I think you should stop before you dig a hole you can't get out of dear," Mr Granger said as he moved forward and hugged his daughter "Congratulations love, and you Harry," he said letting Hermione go.

"Dad please tell me, you didn't think we were having sex as soon as we were old enough," Hermione said eyeing her parents.

"Well you are a very beautiful young woman, and Harry probably finds you very desirable…" dad stammered.

"Now look who's digging a hole," Sirius laughed.

"I don't know, I rather agree with that," Harry chimed in "I mean about being beautiful, and desirable, not the having sex thing, though I would like to… er I don't mean have sex, well not right now, I mean later, but not like later tonight, I mean… I'll shut up, I think," he added when he saw the look of horror Hermione gave him.

Sirius was roaring with laughter, while Mr Granger was really beginning to blush. Mrs Granger was having trouble not laughing, Harry was so much like her husband in quite a few ways and she could see why Hermione loved him so much.

Five minutes later while Mrs Granger was in the kitchen making some tea, Dad and Sirius had sat down to watch a video; Mr Granger was trying to explain how the remote control worked. Harry and Hermione were walking arm in arm around the garden.

"Harry James Potter, I can't believe you told my parents you want to have sex with me," Hermione said chuckling quietly.

"Did you see your dads face, and I thought your mum was going to explode," Harry said his face going red again.

"Well I don't think it was something they wanted to hear," she laughed "but you did look sort of cute all red faced like that."

"Well I meant every word, maybe not quite the way the words actually came out, what I wanted to say was I would like for us to have a baby, you know be a mum and dad some day," Harry declared "though the having sex part sounds good too."

"Harry!"

"Well its true, teenage hormones and all that, I mean I am only human and you really are a beautiful and sexy woman and I… I think I'll shut up again," he said as they turned toward the house.

They arrived at the kitchen door at the same time as an owl delivered a letter, Mrs Granger was just feeding the owl a treat when Harry and Hermione sat down at the table, both were curious about who had sent the letter.

"It's for you," Mrs Granger said as she read the address "looks like Ron's writing." She handed the letter to Hermione.

Hermione read the letter and Harry watched as she first smiled then frowned, gradually as she read her face began to show anger and then disgust.

She handed it to Harry when she had read it.

_Dear Hermione_

_I am sorry I have not written to you sooner, I am writing to apologise for the way I acted toward you and Harry, I really should have been more understanding, after all you are a very clever witch and you know what you are doing._

_I am still in the hospital; you may have heard I have been a little ill. _

_My Healer tells me I am now on the road to recovery._

_Well as I said I should have been a little more understanding, I realise now that you only went out with Harry to make me jealous, and I must say it did work for a while, but I am now quite willing to forgive you as soon as you ask. _

_Like I said you are a clever witch and you will no doubt finish with the boy who lived just as soon as I tell you how I feel, which is no doubt what you have been waiting for. _

_I mean we both know that you don't really feel anything for him, I mean how can you, he's always been a miserable and moody person, remember how he yelled at us earlier in the year when he arrived at Grimmauld place, how could anyone fancy someone like that._

_What I want you to do when you next see him I want you to tell him it is all over, and then as soon as I get out of here you and I can get together again as a couple, I'm sure you will be much happier with me now that I have forgiven you._

_You will of course guessed from this letter how I feel about you, I look forward to your reply._

_Ron_.

"You were never a couple," was all Harry could say.

"How dare he, how bloody dare he," Hermione seethed

"Language Hermione," Harry said suddenly finding the whole thing funny.

"That evil two faced… ugh, as if, I wouldn't give up half an hour with you for a whole life time with him," she said still seething.

"Why don't you write him a reply and say how sorry we are he won't be at our engagement party this Saturday, and you could also add that we are sorry he can't be at our wedding either, we are sorry about him being in the mental ward but we hope he is getting on ok with his fellow inmate Lockhart," Harry said still smiling.

"Engagement party? This Saturday?" Mrs Granger said spilling some milk.

"Yes I'll ask Dumbledore if we can hold it at Hogwarts right after I destroy those Horcrux things," Harry replied seriously "I could ask him about the wedding ceremony as well, being as we are both Muggle raised there might be something we need to do before we can get married."

"Harry we could have a Muggle wedding, we are both old enough to marry in the muggle world, all we need are parental signatures" Hermione said rather quietly.

"Hermione Jane Granger, you can't possibly be thinking of getting married so young," Mrs Granger gasped.

"Yes I can mum, I want to fulfil my dream, I don't want to wait until this war is over, or to wait to find out if we both survive, I've wanted to be Harry's wife since the day we first met, I don't want to wait any longer," Hermione said looking at Harry "If he still wants me, that is."

Harry's mouth was opening and closing, his eyes wide with surprise his brain seemed disconnected from his tongue that was not responding to his command to say yes.

"Harry, say something please," Hermione said looking as though she was about to cry again.

"Saturday," was all Harry managed to say before Hermione enveloped him in a bone crushing hug.


	6. Chapter 6

None of the Harry Potter characters belong to me, I have only borrowed them.

A/Note.

It seems some readers are worried by Hermione using underage magic, let me just clear that little thing up, the tracking charm on Hermione's wand has been confused by the combination of the two souls that became one and is no longer functioning. At least that's my excuse for now.

Now for those of you who have reviewed a sincere thank you from both of us, myself broomstickflyer and hubby merlinsaprentice1.

We intend to add more of our previously posted stories as we get to the end of this one. Sorry there is not time to reply to each and every reviewer but accept this as our thanks for taking the time and trouble to review this tale. Now on with the tale…

Second time Love

Chapter 6.

The Wedding

Thursday afternoon found Hermione sitting in her parent's living room talking to Dobby the house elf.

"So if we could some how get one done properly by an elfin elder, we would be totally bonded, body, heart, mind, and soul?" she asked.

"Yes Miss Hermyninny, fully and totally for all time," Dobby answered,

"And has this ever been done on a human before?" Hermione asked trying to verify her research done over many years in her other life.

"Yes Miss Hermyninny, just the once that I knows of, and it was the great masters downfall, when his bonded one turned to the dark arts," Dobby said a very worried look on his face.

"The great Master Dobby, do you mean Merlin, it was the bonding that allowed that evil Morgana to defeat him?" Hermione was fascinated it seemed the very rare handwritten book she had found ten years before had been right, now all she had to do was to get the ceremony completed.

"Yes Miss Hermyninny," Dobby replied.

"So do you think you can you arrange it for two-o-clock on Saturday afternoon at Hogwarts?" Hermione asked the elf with a pleading look.

"Yes Miss Hermyninny, my great uncle is an elder, we'se will be at the great school as you ask," Dobby said still looking a little sad "Master Harry might suffer pain, I is not liking that, but if I is to help the great Harry Potter I is having to do it."

Hermione could not resist getting down on her knees and kissing the elf's cheeks, and giving him a huge hug "this will do more than free Harry it will help to defeat Voldemort too, so thank you so much."

Sirius looked up from his hunched position on the chair opposite Hermione, "I hope this works Hermione, I should hate to see the boy in pain and suffering for nothing."

"Has Dumbledore agreed to get us into the locked room," Hermione asked whilst not actually looking at the worried man, she was just as worried.

"Yes five-o-clock Saturday evening, but…" Sirius trailed off nodding his head slowly.

"I can assure you Sirius, there are just two ways to be sure that it is destroyed, I think I would rather see my Harry in pain for a while, than to have him die and hope he can come back from it again," Hermione said her voice showing more confidence than she felt "the first two ceremonies will weaken it's hold on him and the third one will rid him of it, and destroy it as well."

As soon as a rather red faced Dobby had left them, someone set of the ward alarms, Hermione followed by Sirius, moved faster than she had for quite some time as she rushed from the house ready to take on any Death Eaters that might have found them, running down the garden path Hermione slid to a halt as Harry and her dad were helping Tonks out of the hedge.

"We got it love, we get married at the local chapel at eleven on Saturday morning so we can start to send out our invites," a rather jubilant Harry said as he happily waved a Muggle form around.

"Sorry about the ward alarm," Tonks said as she finally got to her feet.

"She tripped over the step when she led us in," Mr Granger laughed.

With laughter ringing through the garden Hermione led Harry up to the house and then on up to her room, where she explained what was going to happen on Saturday. Harry spent a few minutes telling her how he had had to offer several bribes to the chapel officials to get all the paperwork done and have the usual six week wait while the bans were published, an old English Muggle custom, pushed down to just two days.

Their next task was two fold, Hermione needed to visit the Burrow to talk to Ginny, while Harry had to set about sending out the invites to their wedding, it was going to be a rather small affair with only very close family and friends, among those to invite were Neville and Remus, they needed to be asked to attend, one as the best man and the other to help represent Harry's family along with Sirius, the Weasley family, Luna and three of their other friends from school, Katie Bell, Collin Creevey who they wanted to do the photographs, Alicia and Angelina, Harry's Quidditch team mates.

Hermione kissed Harry rather passionately before she left him in the bedroom writing out the various parchments, It did not take her long to arrive once again at the Burrow, this time though she knocked on the kitchen door and waited, she was greeted just seconds later by Fred or George, she could never tell who was who when it came to the twins, Molly Weasley the Weasley matriarch almost crushed Hermione's ribs as she welcomed the girl she had once hoped would become her official daughter in law, she had now accepted that she would instead become her surrogate daughter in law when she and Harry, the boy she had all but officially adopted, finally decided to settle down.

Molly could see that there was something exciting on the young woman's mind, but she said nothing as she sent George upstairs to fetch Ginny, then she turned to the stove and began to make a pot of tea.

The speed Ginny came running down the stairs surprised everyone including Hermione.

"Is he alright?" Ginny asked before she had reached the bottom step, her face full of fear.

Hermione smiled at the show of worry in Ginny's eyes as they greeted each other "Harry's fine Gin, but I need to talk to you… in private."

Ginny having looked around the kitchen and glared at her twin brothers gestured for Hermione to follow her outside where the twins extendable ears could not reach them. A short walk toward the village of Ottery St Catchpole brought them to a small hump backed bridge that crossed the boundary stream of the Weasley land.

"We can talk here Hermione, no fear of those brothers of mine or anyone else being able to sneak up on us here," Ginny said quietly as she wondered why they needed the secrecy.

"I need to know exactly how you feel about Harry, it's extremely important," Hermione said as she leant on the coping stones of the bridge looking down into the water.

"I love him more than life itself," came from a rather quiet voice from beneath the bridge, "I think I loved him last year as well, but not quite as much, something about those green eyes attracted me first."

"Luna?" chorused Hermione and Ginny as they leaned over the coping to look down.

"Oh it's alright, I know he doesn't love me, though I do think he likes me as a friend," Luna Lovegood announced "That's why I'm here, I was just sending a wish down the stream to the river sprites to help me find a new love."

"Luna, would you be willing to risk your very soul for him?" Hermione asked seriously "and you Gin, would you risk your soul for Harry."

"You do know that losing your soul is worse than losing your life don't you?" Luna asked, her usual vacant look even more obvious because it was no longer there, instead she was regarding Hermione with a piercing look that seemed to see right into the older girls heart.

"But to answer your question, I really do love Harry, and will do anything I can to help him, I know my dad says that I'm to young to be in love, but I think that he is wrong, like most adults he has forgotten that the young can love just as fiercely and deeply as the older people, our bodies are ready to bring new life into the world so why should our hearts be any different."

Hermione and Ginny, stared at Luna for a few moments then Hermione walked the short distance to reach Luna and grabbed the younger girl in a tight hug "I some times forget just how wise you are Luna," she said as she let her go from the hug "and thanks."

Together Hermione, Ginny, and Luna, took a very slow walk back to the Burrow as Hermione told them of what she had planned for them to do at five on the coming Saturday afternoon.

They arrived back at the Burrow to find a rather flustered Molly Weasley trying to coax Hedwig, Harry's owl, down from on top of the large welsh dresser she used to store her best porcelain dinner ware on, while the twins Fred and George stood watching and laughed.

As soon as Ginny entered the kitchen Hedwig swooped down onto her shoulder and gracefully offered her leg, where a small roll of parchment was tied.

Ginny removed the parchment and began to read the short note.

Hedwig then hopped over to Luna and did the same thing with the other leg.

"Well what's it say?" asked one of the twins looking at his gaping sister.

Ginny stared wide eyed at Hermione, "Hermione Jane Granger, why didn't you tell us, how on earth could you keep it quiet like that, why would you keep it quiet?"

"It wasn't easy Gin, believe me," Hermione chuckled as Ginny grabbed her in a hug and giggled "besides Harry wanted to be the one to tell you."

"You are going to have to make more visits here now you know, I'm quite sure mum will teach you how to make that favourite sweet of his," Ginny said still giggling.

"Will one of you girls please tell me what is going on?" Molly asked sounding exasperated.

"Oh nothing much, it's just an invite for us to attend Harry and Hermione's wedding at eleven on Saturday morning," Ginny said grinning at her mothers reaction.

Luna stood to the side and read the invite from Harry, and then began to cry gently into her hands; both Ginny and Hermione were followed by Molly as they hugged the blond haired young witch.

"Luna dear, what ever is the matter?" Molly asked as she rubbed the girls back.

"I never had any real friends before," Luna said wiping away her tears.

At precisely eleven-o-clock on Saturday morning Harry turned around to look behind him, and watched as the most beautiful sight he had ever seen or was likely to see, walked slowly down the aisle of the small chapel toward him. Hermione on her fathers arm smiled at him through her veil making his knees tremble, she was dressed in a rose white Muggle wedding gown, the low cut off the shoulder bodice was formed to show off her figure while the bottom part of the dress was designed like a six petal upside down rose covering several stiff petticoats that reached down to the floor, the entire dress was covered in a sheer material that was elaborately decorated with intricately embroidered pure white roses, a long white train with matching roses was held up by the two brides maids Ginny and Luna, on her feet she wore a pair of white shoes with a stiletto heel slightly taller than the ones she wore to the Yule ball.

Harry let a tear fall as Mr Granger placed Hermione's hand in his, then went and joined his weepy wife on the front pew, Harry looked deep into Hermione's eyes then they both turned as the vicar began the service with "Dearly beloved we are gathered here to join this man and this woman…"

Harry heard nothing more as he stared at the beauty that had just two years ago, been called plain Hermione Granger bookworm, by the daily prophet, and she was now a beautiful woman and was about to become his wife, he wondered at how his luck had finally changed from bad to amazingly good.

Neville gave Harry a nudge in his ribs bringing him back to the here and now as the Vicar stood and stared at him.

"Sorry," Harry stuttered.

"I believe you wish to say something of your own before we say the vows," the Vicar whispered with a slight wink.

Harry nodded as he took both of Hermione's hands in his and then began saying the words from his heart.

"Hermione, my love for you began small and unrecognised when we first met on the Hogwarts express, slowly but surely day by day as the years have passed it grew deeper and stronger until the day you kissed me and it was no longer possible to hide it, or deny it, now that love fills every part of my heart and is still growing, with the promise that I will love you for all time and more, I offer myself to you as your husband for all eternity."

Hermione smiled at him, she had not really expected her quiet Harry to say something so touching. "Harry I love you with all that I am, I have loved you for as long as I have known you, I won't claim that I shall love you till the day I die, because I know this love will last beyond death and throughout eternity, I will love you for all time and more, and I offer myself as your wife for all eternity."

Having made their private promises the ceremony continued, Harry shed another tear when he said boldly "I do," to the Vicars question "do you Harry James Potter, take Hermione Jane Granger to be your lawful wedded wife to have and to hold in sickness and in health till death do you part." He then slipped the plain gold ring on Hermione's finger.

Hermione's cheeks were also glistening with tears as the words she had longed to say for so many years left her lips "I do," she placed the wedding ring she held on to Harry's finger and felt her legs go weak.

When the vicar informed them they could now kiss, a bright golden light enveloped Harry and Hermione as two thick golden ropes appeared from nowhere and gently wrapped around the kissing couple, it was a sight that very few people had ever seen, it was the magical binding of hearts and souls.

Ginny Weasley nodded as she watched the magical ropes bind her two friends, she knew then that Hermione truly did love the man she herself loved enough to watch him marry another, and to wish him a lifetime of happiness.

A rather surprised vicar concluded the service by asking them to sign their names in the marriage register; it would be the very last time Hermione signed her name as Granger.

Arthur Weasley performed a quick memory charm on the vicar making him forget seeing the golden binding, before every one left the chapel and made their way back to the Grangers for the small celebration.

Albus Dumbledore was conspicuous by his absence at the wedding reception, neither Harry nor Hermione had wanted to invite the old wizard, as far as they were concerned he had harmed Harry enough, and they would take no chance on him stopping their marriage.

Sitting alone in his office Albus looked up as he felt a change in the magic around him, then quietly he lifted a small glass of mead and took a small sip, before he set about writing out another entry into his very own personal journal, then hiding it on top of his tallest book case.

Albus wondered absently what world changing event had just affected the planets magic but then he shrugged the thought away as a knock on his door reminded him he had a meeting with Severus Snape.


	7. Chapter 7

The small reception held in the Granger front garden was going well, the sun was bright and the guests both Muggle and magical were mingling with out problems, though Tonks did manage to trip and land with her face in Remus's lap, causing the marauder to

None of the Harry Potter characters belong to me, I have only borrowed them for this tale.

Second time Love

Chapter seven.

The second ceremony.

The rather small reception they held in the Granger front garden was going well, the sun was bright. A few small fluffy clouds drifted across the blue sky, and the guests both Muggle and magical were enjoying themselves mingling together with out problems, though Tonks did manage to trip and land with her face in Remus's lap, causing the marauder to gasp and wince in pain before a huge blush of a rather deep shade of crimson crept up his face.

Luna was talking to Ginny about some strange unknown magical beast when Hermione joined the two girls and offered them some refreshment.

"You know, I really am confused," Luna said to Ginny, as Hermione filled their glasses with some fruit punch.

"And just what is it that has you confused then Luna?" Ginny asked smiling at her rather odd friend.

"Well, like I said before, I am really deeply in love with Harry, yet all the stories I have read seem to tell me I should therefore hate the girl who gets to marry him, unless it is me of course, but I don't, I still love Hermione as a friend, but still feel a little jealous, so now I'm confused," Luna replied seeming to pick her words carefully.

"I know just what you mean, but maybe we can't hate Hermione because we know she makes Harry happy like no one else could. I know his happiness means more to me than my own happiness ever could," Ginny said hugging Luna tightly.

"Yes I think you're right Ginny, Harry's happy now he is with Hermione," Luna almost whispered.

"Hey you two, I'm still here you know," Hermione chuckled at her friends conversation.

"And why is that, shouldn't you be some where secluded with your husband?" Luna said with an uncharacteristic giggle.

"Luna Lovegood! What ever is going through your mind?" Ginny asked laughing.

"Well if I had married that green eyed hunk, I would be in a quiet bedroom right about now," Luna said with yet another giggle.

"Luna!" Hermione exclaimed her face turning red.

"Well it's true," Luna said with a smile and a dreamy look that was different to her usual dreamy look.

"Where's that husband of yours?" Mrs Granger asked joining the girls and bringing their talk to an end.

"I don't know mum, last I saw of him he was talking with dad, it looked like they were heading around to the back garden," Hermione replied getting a starry look in her eye, that was the second time in just as many minutes that someone had said '_your husband'_ it gave Hermione a warm feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Well could you go and find them dear, it's time to cut the cake," Mrs Granger said as she turned to walk away.

"Gotta go girls, see you in a minute or two ok," Hermione said as she set off toward the back garden to find her husband and her father.

"Harry James Potter, you get my father down here right now," Hermione shouted as she came to a stop having rounded the corner to the back of the house and seen her father on the firebolt broomstick riding behind Harry.

Harry and her father were both roaring with laughter when they landed in the middle of the lawn,

"By heck Harry that was absolutely bloody marvellous," Mr Granger said as he climbed breathlessly from Harry's broom.

"Language dad," Hermione admonished while trying hard to suppress a laugh.

"Well it was," declared Mr Granger innocently, pouting like a small boy caught pinching cookies.

"We didn't go high love, what with the wards…" Harry said looking like he wanted to burst out laughing again.

"Men!" Hermione declared no longer able to hide her grin. "Come on Harry love we have to cut the cake,"

Mr Granger took off for the front garden and left the two newly weds to walk around together.

"I can think of much better things to do than cut a cake now that we are married," Harry chuckled a very mischievous look in his eye.

"Harry, you know we can't do anything like that until after we have done everything else," Hermione said laughing at the puppy dog look Harry gave her before adding his lopsided smile that he reserved just for her.

At three thirty Hermione looked around at the few guests that still remained in the garden, they were the people who were to accompany them to Hogwarts for the next ceremony. They would be leaving in three groups using port keys supplied by Sirius.

Remus, Tonks, Katie, Alicia, and Angelina were the first to leave, quickly followed by Sirius, Mr and Mrs Granger, Neville, and Colin, next, all the Weasley family except Ginny, who was with Harry, Hermione, Luna and Dobby.

Everyone arrived safely at Hogwarts, landing just outside the main entrance, where professor McGonagall, professor Flitwick, Dobby's uncle, and several of the Hogwarts house elves were waiting patiently for them. The rather grumpy and wrinkled looking eldest elf bid them all to stand in a large pre-marked circle, Harry and Hermione stood in the middle with the old elf, they in turn were encircled by elves, who were then encircled by everyone else. The old elf asked the young couple to hold hands, telling them they were not to let go for any reason, "Is this dangerous?" Harry asked looking worriedly at his new wife.

The old elf chuckled in a deep voice "Only if you's let go master."

The elves around them lifted their hands and with their elfin magic they created a magical dome over Hermione and Harry. Then the magic of the witches and wizards around them suddenly began to form an outer dome with out help from their wands.

Harry and Hermione stood face to face in the centre of the domes of magic and interlocked their fingers, neither wanted to ever let go of the other ever again, after a quick gentle kiss the young witch and wizard stared into each others eyes as the old elf began to chant, over and over he repeated the mixed words of the ancient Elvin language and the modern English,

"_Máhan Carilwë maquet for the yára nútë et vérë sina ender his indis join heart with heart the istar et curuni aqua et illumë fëa with fëa sanwë-latya thus maruva illumë Amen"_

Slowly a gentle warming wind gathered around the feet of the married couple getting stronger as it began to whirl and rise around them, there seemed no direction or sense to how the wind whirled about, Harry and Hermione hung on to each other as the circle of elves began to fade away to be replaced by a circle full of golden swirling light, slowly so very slowly they felt as though they were dissolving and melting into one single person, blending together into one single being, then again they heard the chanting of the old elf but this time they understood every word he was chanting.

"_Supreme one we ask for the ancient bond of this bridegroom and his bride, join heart with heart the good wizard and good witch wholly and always, soul with soul direct, thus will it be always amen," _

on and on went the chant until they felt they were no longer two separate people at all, they were one body, one mind, one heart and one soul. For several seconds or maybe even several hours they revelled in the feeling of being one complete being full of total love, of being one with the love that held the universe together, and then slowly they began to separate back into two people then back into their true selves once more. Once again they could feel the warm wind as it swirled aimlessly around them, once again they felt the ground beneath their feet, then slowly the golden light faded to be replaced once again by the circle of elves. As the wind died and the light vanished completely, with their legs feeling very weak Hermione and Harry fell to the ground, their hands still together their fingers still entwined.

There was a rush of bodies as those around them rushed forward to see what was wrong, the only thing that they had seen was a slight wind blowing around the two Potters', only Hermione and Harry had seen or felt the amazing things that had happened to them.

The two very weak legged glowing teenagers were taken into the great hall, where the Hogwarts elves provided them with drinks to rebuild their strength.

In the centre of the main living room of Malfoy Manor, a large gathering of Death eaters stared at the terrifying sight that was happening right before their eyes, for the second time that day their powerful lord and master was writhing around the floor in screaming agony. Several times the dark lord had screamed out in pain then emptied the contents of his stomach on to the floor and was writhing around in the foul smelling vomit and bile, the Death Eaters looked on powerless as their powerful dark wizard lord was screaming out for help in his pain, but none of them knew what to do and so they just stared helplessly as he repeatedly screamed out in pain.

Over in a dark unnoticed corner of the room Severus Snape, professor, spy, and Death Eater, smiled, although it was a small smile it actually reached his eyes, it was the first time he had truly smiled at all since the Halloween night years before when Voldemort had murdered Lily Potter.

'_I must thank that fame seeking brat Potter and his know it all girl friend'_ he thought as he enjoyed the sight before him, _'suffer you evil wretch'_ he thought as Voldemort screamed out with excruciating pain once again.

Hermione and Harry sat together in the great hall still holding hands as they were telling their friends and family what exactly had happened to them inside the dome, Sirius kept asking Harry if he was suffering any pain, having been asked three times Harry sat up straight.

"I'm not in any pain, but I know who is, Voldemort is in a great deal of pain, all that love we shared and felt has driven him almost insane with pain, I don't think he will ever be able to use his link with me again with out suffering just as I used to do," Harry said a huge grin on his face.

Hand in hand Harry and Hermione left the great hall, saying that they needed some fresh air, leaving their friends talking about what they had been told, they left the great hall turning left to walk outside on to the grounds, Harry led the way to the black lake,

"We should take a minute to talk," he said as they reached the waters edge, taking out his wand he waved it just once and conjured a nice blanket for them to sit on beneath their favourite tree.

"We should try to find out what happened to us, and exactly what it means," Hermione said as they sat side by side.

'_Hermione love I really don't have a clue'_ Harry thought as he played back the memory of their fantastic journey into total love.

"Well at least the old elf was right about that," Hermione said quietly.

"Huh," Harry said looking at her oddly.

'_Ok let's try it like this'_ Hermione chuckled as she watched his face break into a frown followed by a huge grin.

"I can hear your thoughts!" Harry exclaimed rather louder than he intended.

"Ok can you feel this?" Hermione asked as she pinched her self.

"No, nothing, anyway why would I feel you pinching your… Ouch!" Harry replied as she pinched her self again.

"So it was all true, we are bonded body, mind, heart, and soul," Hermione said in awe.

"Well I don't think the sharing pain bit is exactly handy," Harry laughed as he rubbed at his arm.

"We didn't share the pain Harry my love, you felt it for me, you never know when that might come in handy, that and it can help us to heal each other without having to be together," Hermione told him with a huge grin.

"How the heck did you do that then?" Harry asked eyes wide at the possibilities of remote healing.

'_Just thought of you is all'_ she chuckled.

'_Ok time to go and rejoin the others before I give in to this urge to kiss you senseless' Harry_ thought with a mischievous grin coming across his face.

Hermione got to her feet '_I told you we can't do anything like that until later, now behave yourself and come on'_ she caught hold of his hand and pulled him to his feet.

A very worried and shaken Lord Voldemort called Wormtail into the room where he sat on a huge throne like chair.

"Yes my lord," Wormtail stuttered as he bowed and scraped his way into the room.

"I want to know how Potter is doing these things, you will go and infiltrate Hogwarts and find out, now get from my sight," Voldemort hissed as he rubbed at his aching head.

"But master could Severus not enter the school easier and find out what the Potter boy is up to," Wormtail asked nervously.

"Fool! Do as you are told, Severus is on his break it would look to suspicious and obvious if he returned to the school now." Voldemort hissed pointing his wand at Wormtail and shouting crusio.

Wormtail lay screaming until Voldemort lifted the curse from him, he then crawled to the wall and used it to pull himself on to his feet, and then he backed slowly and shakily from the room, wondering as he did so how he was to find out what Harry Potter was doing, the school would be closed for the holiday for quite some time yet, then he grinned as he remembered that the all powerful Voldemort had been crying like a baby just a few short minutes ago, maybe it was time to change his allegiances once again if Potter was able to render Voldemort into a weeping wreck, then it seemed obvious to Wormtail that Harry was the stronger of the two wizards, the one who would end up winning in the end, leaving Malfoy Manor for Hogwarts was his best chance of getting out of all this alive.

He grinned again as he remembered how stupidly forgiving Potter was, if he had not been so forgiving Wormtail would be dead, killed by his former friends.

As the door slammed shut behind Wormtail Voldemort once more screamed out in pain.

Harry stopped as they reached the main door to the castle drew Hermione close and placed a rather hot and passionate kiss on his wife's inviting lips, "It's time to move on to the next part of your plan my brilliant and beautiful wife, and the sooner the better."


	8. Chapter 8

None of the Harry Potter characters belong to me, I have only borrowed them for this tale.

Second time Love

Chapter eight

The locked room

Albus Dumbledore Headmaster of Hogwarts leader of the Order of the Phoenix sat in his office, his half moon spectacles held in his left hand, while with his thumb and forefinger of his right hand he rubbed gently at the bridge of his nose.

"Damn, damn, damn, Miss Granger, no it's Mrs Potter now, she has ruined years of work and planning," he said as he pulled up the school register and a notebook from the bottom drawer of his desk, their wedding that morning had finally ended his last hope of further manipulating the minds and hearts of his two most powerful students.

Turning once more to talk to Fawkes, he sighed deeply "How did she over come the suggestions that Snape and I planted in her mind, five years should have been long enough to convince her she was falling in love with Mr Weasley, how did she overcome the thoughts we planted in Harry's mind about Miss Weasley, I spent so much more time on him and now it has all been for nought,"

Fawkes gave a plaintive cry that told Dumbledore that even he could not permanently over come real and true destined love.

"But my plan worked with Bill Weasley and Miss Delacour," Albus whispered as he stood to pace his office once again.

Once more the trill from his phoenix told Albus that it was probable Bill and Fluer would have fallen in love what ever he did, and that he could not be sure it was his own manipulations of their minds that had brought them together.

"So I must find a new blood to improve the lines, to reduce the inbreeding of the purebloods before it is to late, though new blood in the Weasley line, new blood especially from some one as brilliant as Miss Granger, and some one as powerful as Mr Potter, would have slowed if not reversed the decline in such an old family line."

Walking back to his desk he sat once more in his chair and opened the register, Miss Greengrass, "what do you think Fawkes Mr Weasley and Miss Greengrass…"

A flash of fire signalled the departure of Fawkes from the office, "You always were a stickler for doing the right thing," Albus huffed as the phoenix vanished.

Albus Dumbledore looked up when he felt something tug at his magical core, for just a few seconds he felt it respond before he was able to stop the intrusion, he knew instantly that the elves were performing the bonding ceremony of Harry and Hermione, '_such a pity, Harry would have been the perfect partner for Miss Weasley_' he thought as he went back to his notes.

Down in the great hall Harry and Hermione's friends discussed what the newly weds had told them while they drank tea and waited for the young couple to return, In the entrance hall Harry chuckled as both he and Hermione shared some thoughts, their love had grown with the bonding, grown to the level where it radiated from them when they touched, their auras glowed strongly in the dim light of the unlit hall every time they kissed.

"We won't need any lights tonight if this keeps happening," he said as they kissed one more time.

"What am I to do with you, it will settle down in a day or so," laughed Hermione as they broke their kiss and entered the great hall.

After chatting for some time Hermione checked her watch, it was just after four, time to see the headmaster so that they could move on to the last part of her plan, the visit to the locked room in the department of mysteries.

Remus led them all out to the lawns out side the main entrance and passed around the port keys that would take most of the group home, having all said their goodbye's and shared a few congratulatory hugs the port keys were activated leaving just six of them behind to go on to the ministry.

Professor McGonagall led the way up to the headmaster's office, Dumbledore bid them enter and offered them all a seat, before offering them a lemon drop.

"So sir, how are we travelling to the ministry?" Hermione asked having refused the sweet.

She knew before Dumbledore answered that there was some thing not quite right, then Dumbledore informed them that he had been unable to gain permission for them to enter the department of mysteries. She knew he had lied to them, though she did not know why, she thought that he had probably not even tried to help.

She made the quick decision to take advantage of the moment and ensure that at least one of her plans was not thwarted, it didn't matter if she had to bring that plan forward in time a little, making sure that she kept her eyes down she thought '_Harry don't look at the headmaster's eyes he is using Legilimency on us_, once she was sure Harry was looking away from the headmaster's eyes she told him _'you have to disarm him, I'll explain it all to you later'_

Harry looked at her and as she gave him the smallest of nods, he suddenly and most unexpectedly pulled his wand and before anyone reacted he had pointed it at Dumbledore and cried out "Expelliarmus."

With the reactions that came from being a seeker on the Quidditch team for five years Harry deftly caught Dumbledore's wand as it soared toward him.

'_Hermione love why did I just disarm the headmaster?_' he asked as he looked at her once again.

'_You can give it back to him now, I'll explain later'_ Hermione told him as she tried to hold her temper from exploding.

Harry did as she said and returned the wand to a rather surprised Dumbledore saying "Sorry, I..." he rubbed his scar as though he were doing it without thinking.

Hermione stood and then glared at Albus "You lied to us, you had no intention of helping, what game are you playing, what are you up to?" she asked before grabbing Harry's hand and pulling him from the office.

They were followed out of the school by Sirius, Remus, Luna and Ginny, once out on the road that led to the main gates Sirius asked what every one was thinking.

"Why did you take Dumbledore's wand Harry?"

Harry looked just as bewildered as Sirius and the others, "I have no idea," he answered looking at Hermione.

"It was the Elder wand," was all she said as they walked.

"What?" Harry asked "is the elder wand and why did I just take it from Dumbledore?"

Remus cleared his throat before speaking "Hermione the elder wand is just a myth, a tale told to scare people."

"Dumbledore had the wand and the stone of life, all he needed was to take Harry's cloak and he would have reunited the Deathly Hallows," she told them as they left Hogwarts grounds.

"The Hallows are not a Myth?" Sirius asked his voice low.

"No Sirius they are not a Myth, and I asked Harry to disarm Dumbledore because I don't trust him anymore, he's up to some thing, and I don't think it is anything good," Hermione said as she stuck out her wand for the Knight bus.

"Would someone like to tell me what the Deathly Hallows are?" Harry asked just as the bus arrived out of nowhere with a loud crack.

Once on the bus and heading for London Remus and Sirius told the teenagers all about the tale of the deathly Hallows.

As the bus pulled up outside the Leaky Cauldron Luna asked what they would do next, and when would they do it.

"Simple," Hermione said as she opened the door to the pub "we go to the department of mysteries without Dumbledore."

"And when do you plan to do that?" Remus asked following her into the bar.

"As soon as we have had some thing to eat, by the time we are finished the ministry should be quite empty."

"Albus, Mrs Potter asked a very good question, just what are you up to, I've known you too long to think that you simply forgot to tell them about the ministry?" McGonagall asked suspicions growing in her mind.

"I was just trying to do some thing for the good of all," he answered vaguely as he stared at his wand.

"And you thought you could fool Miss Granger, I mean Mrs Potter? That girl is the cleverest person I ever met," she looked at him for a minute before she continued, "you should be careful Albus, or you will come to regret turning the two most powerful people in our world against you."

'_I already do, I already do'_ he thought as he returned his wand to its rightful place.

Minerva McGonagall left the head master wondering if she had been wrong to place her trust in him for so long and with out question. She knew that Hermione Potter was one of the most honest trustworthy and loyal not to mention the cleverest people she had ever met, and if she suspected Albus of doing something that was wrong then there was more than a good chance she was right. She made a mental note to her self to question, and check the things he asked her to do much more closely in the future.

Albus sat in his office and wondered if once again he had made a mistake, he knew that he could no longer rely on the help of Hermione to rebuild the trust that Harry had once had in him. He also knew he had lost what little trust and respect that might have lingered in Hermione.

Having had and enjoyed a meal of fish and chips, Harry led the strange looking group dressed in their robes, through the streets of Muggle London to the visitors entrance to the ministry of magic, Sirius, Hermione, and Harry, went down in the lift to the atrium and waited for the others to join them.

Just ten minutes later they were all standing in the department of mysteries watching while Hermione worked on opening the lock of the door, it took her nearly fifteen minutes and practically every unlocking charm she could remember before she finally heard the welcome click that was the sound of the door opening.

Leaving Sirius and Remus out side the room to stand guard duty, the group of teenagers entered the room.

Hermione stared at the large empty room, there was nothing at all in the room apart from a painted circle in the centre, the circle was about ten feet across and was painted white, other than that the place was totally bare, she could not tell where the light was coming from because there were no lights, no candles or torches, still the room was bathed in a warm white light.

Hermione took hold of Harry's right hand, Ginny took his left and Luna took hold of Hermione's right hand, slowly cautiously they inched forward toward the painted circle.

There was a feeling of happiness that grew into a feeling of love as they neared the circle, the closer they got to the centre the deeper the feeling of love got, by the time they were standing around its edge they were all bathed in a feeling of love deeper than anything they had ever felt before.

Hermione looked first at Harry and then at the two girls with them, with a nod of her head they all stepped into the circle, moments later they were all bathed in warm a red light that seemed to reach down inside them to their very souls, very slowly they inched forward toward the very centre.

As they reached the centre Harry screamed out writhing in some excruciating pain, both Hermione and Ginny struggled to keep their hold on his hands as the light intensified ten fold, and he twisted and screamed even more.

Harry seemed to be fighting something, something inside him that could not stand the feeling of utter love that pervaded their very souls, he was struggling harder and crying out in pain as all three girls wrapped their arms around him and gave him all the love they could give to him, as their love swelled and filled and overcame him Harry began to float, his body lifted gently upward as they tried hard to cling to him.

Just as Hermione thought they were going to fail, their hands were slipping slowly down Harry's legs as he rose higher and their grip began to loosen, something dark and evil seemed to drift from his chest, as the last wisps' of the dark mist finally released its hold on him he began to slowly descend.

The dark mist floating in the light above them seemed to be taking on a shape right before their eyes, it was taking the shape of a man, but before it completed its transformation terrifying screams came from it and rent the air, it began to twist and writhe as it screamed as though in severe agony, just a few seconds later the dark misty shape of Voldemort appeared before he suddenly exploded into thousands of pieces that then began to vanish into the light around them.

Hermione sighed in relief, another Horcrux was destroyed, and Harry was still alive and well.

The three girls carried Harry from the room, they all had to struggle against the desire to remain in the room full of love, and it took them some minutes to reach the door. Luna managed to open the door and dragged Ginny out first, they were then helped by Remus and Sirius who pulled both Harry and Hermione from the rooms loving grip.

The exhausted teenagers slowly made their way to the main lift, helped by the two adults. Once out into the night air of the London Street above the ministry they rested for a while to regain some of their strength.

Fifteen minutes later Remus summoned the Knight bus.

It was a weary bunch of people who entered the wards of the Granger house some twenty minutes later, Mrs Granger made them all a hot drink of chocolate before she sorted them all out with a place to sleep, it was only minutes after finishing their drinks when silence filled the Granger house, everyone was fast asleep, Harry had his first truly nightmare free sleep that night.

At breakfast in the Granger kitchen, even though he was disappointed that his wedding night had not gone exactly as he had expected, Harry felt better than he could ever remember feeling, the dark and depressing feelings of guilt and self doubt he had suffered his entire life were gone, he felt lighter some how, and he also felt some how that he was cleaner, he could not put it in to words, it was just the way he felt.

Sirius and Remus sat and listened as the girls talked about the vast amount of love that Harry had inside him, they had all felt it in the locked room.

Hermione explained to everyone all that had happened in the room full of pure love, how that great amount of love had removed and destroyed the part of Voldemort that had attached it's self to Harry's soul.

Harry was now free and they were well on the way to ridding the world of the evil that was calling it self Voldemort.

Hermione sat and smiled, tonight there would be no reason for them to wait any longer, tonight she would become the thing she wanted most, Mrs Harry Potter in every sense of the word, tonight she would be Harry's completely.

Harry seemed to be thinking the same thing because he too smiled then winked suggestively at her, making her laugh out loud, to the surprise of those around the table.

A/Note sorry that this chapter is not quite as long as some of the others but I have to end it somewhere and I think it ended in just the right place before things warm up for Mr and Mrs Potter. Well if they can find some peace and privacy.


	9. Chapter 9

None of the Harry Potter characters belong to me, I have only borrowed them for this tale

None of the Harry Potter characters belong to me, I have only borrowed them for this tale.

Second time Love

Chapter nine

Lights Dumbledore and Fawkes

Early the next morning after a very filling breakfast the visitors to the Granger house, all but Remus who decided to spend the day with his best friend, either port-keyed or apparated to their various homes, the rest of the day was uneventful and both Harry and Hermione spent the whole day with the family, both eagerly looking forward to being alone that night.

It wasn't until late evening as the sun went down that they finally found they were alone, Mr and Mrs Granger along with Sirius and Remus were sitting out on the small patio and were supposed to be playing cards, instead they sat in stunned silence staring open mouthed as the lawns in front of them were bathed in a warm golden glow that was gradually growing brighter, the glow was coming from the room that Harry and Hermione now shared.

Up in their bedroom both Harry and Hermione were oblivious to anything going on around them as they made love for the first time, it was a dream come true for Hermione, and as they shared their bodies for the first time they also shared their magic, magic that was growing beyond the capacity that their bodies could hold, the excess magic was being slowly released into their auras, both auras glowing in a golden hue were growing as the passion of their love making grew.

Their bedroom was filled with golden light as their auras mingled and became one, as their love making grew toward the bodily connection that would take away their young bodies virginity so the light grew in it's intensity, as their bodies finally connected and their virginity died, so the light that emanated from them grew filling the entire upstairs of the house, spreading out through the windows to light up the lawns, as the two Potters reached their climax the light display reached its peak.

Had it not been for Hermione's excellent combination of wards around the Granger house and grounds, the Muggles of the area would have been able to see a fantastic lighting display, beams of multi coloured lights shot out from the windows of the house, streams of golden stars swirled toward the heavens, the display could not have been better if it had come from one of the new laser display companies, the lawns of the Grangers garden were lit in a golden light that was even brighter than the mid day light from a summer sun.

"Bloody hell!" Sirius exclaimed as the light finally died down "did you see that?"

"Yes their magic must be tremendously powerful," Remus whispered in an awed voice.

"What just happened?" Mrs Granger asked rubbing at her eyes.

"Do we want to know?" Mr Granger asked with more awe than either Sirius or Remus, he already had a good idea as to what had happened.

"I would say that our two young Potters' just became man and wife in every sense of the words," Sirius answered Mrs Granger blushing a little as he spoke.

"The power, did you see the power?" Remus said still truly amazed, he had heard of the glow of bonded couples but none of the stories came near what they had just been witness to, he vaguely noticed that they had all stepped into the middle of the lawn to get a better view of the light show.

Upstairs in their room Harry and Hermione still physically connected held each other tight, their energy drained due to the release of so much magic they slipped into a deep and peaceful sleep.

Hermione was woken up around four thirty the next morning by a strange feeling that she was being watched, feeling Harry beside her she immediately remembered the night before and just how wonderful it had felt to give herself completely to the man she loved so much, it was as she was remembering that she realised it was not Harry that was watching her as she slept.  
Sitting up and reaching for her wand Hermione's eyes scanned the room, she froze when she saw Fawkes sitting on her dresser looking straight into her eyes.

Fawkes gently trilled and some how Hermione could hear thoughts that were not her own, _'sadly bond with Albus breaking, have something, you should copy, read'_ the thoughts it seemed were not actually in words and yet she understood it all perfectly well.

Fawkes rose elegantly from where he was perched and flying to her he dropped a brown leather note book into her lap, reaching for her wand again she looked at the Phoenix and wondered why he had come to her, then with a shrug of her shoulders she waved her wand over the book and made a duplicate copy, she then held out the original to the bird.

Fawkes hovered gently above her, the book held in one of his talons, another gentle trill came from him and more thoughts entered Hermione's mind _'I will see you again human but for now I must leave'._

A flash of fire was all that indicated that the Phoenix was gone; Hermione opened the book to find nothing but blank pages.  
It took only a few seconds for Hermione to work out that Fawkes had brought her a book that belonged to Dumbledore, the only part she had not yet worked out was why. Staring at the book of blank pages Hermione began to wonder what was so important to the head master that he would have it concealed from prying eyes, she also wondered for a moment if she should return the copy she had made but dismissed the thought as fast as it had appeared, there must be a password she mumbled.

Harry woke and with his head filled with the wonderful memories of the night before he turned to see what Hermione was mumbling about. "What's that?" he asked putting his glasses on as Hermione mumbled another odd word.

"I think it is Dumbledore's notes, it must be important, Fawkes dropped it off about an hour ago, I haven't figured out the password yet though," Hermione answered sounding frustrated.

"Did you try Lemon drop?" Harry asked as he got up to go to the bathroom.

"It can't be that simple… can it?" she answered as the bedroom door closed _'OF COURSE that has to be it, something simple, I mean who would expect a powerful wizard like Dumbledore to use a simple password,'_ Hermione exclaimed even though Harry had left the room.

_'Hermione love, I hope you're not going to yell like that every morning, you nearly made me miss,'_ Harry replied as he relieved his full bladder.

Lemon drop was not the correct password so she tried Hogwarts, and was amazed as the neat script of Albus Dumbledore began to fill the pages of the book, 'Harry you are brilliant' she said as she began to read.

"I know," Harry said as he came back into the room and sorted out clean clothes for the day.

Hermione was still sat up in the bed, almost exactly in the same position she had been in when Fawkes had given her the book, she began to read through the notes, the first few pages were filled with random things, questions Dumbledore had jotted down, things like 'where can I acquire more house elves, and should I employ Quirrell? After the first few pages she began to wonder why Fawkes had thought the book important, it just seemed like Dumbledore had simply used it to jot down his everyday thoughts similar to a journal or diary.

Harry meanwhile had got dressed gone down stairs and cooked their breakfast, Hermione smelling the aroma of freshly cooked bacon put the book down and dressed then with the book tucked under her arm she went down and joined Harry and Sirius in the kitchen, Sirius was talking about the light display from the previous night when she arrived in the kitchen ready for food.

She noticed as soon as she entered the room that Harry was blushing almost as red as a Weasley "So what are you two talking about?" she asked apprehensively as she sat down at the table.

"Last night," Sirius said chuckling "when you and Romeo here gave us all a grand light display, the sex must have been bloody brilliant eh Harry? Never saw anything like it before," Sirius said laughing out loud at their mortified looks.

"Mum, and dad, as well?" Hermione gulped.

"Yes them too, Remus was actually blushing nearly as much as you when I explained it to them," Sirius said laughing again.

"Not as much as you," Remus said as he walked into the kitchen, walked to Hermione and gave her a peck on her cheek and said hello to Harry "you should take no notice of Sirius, after all we all know what happens when people get married."

"That's not helping Remus," Hermione said still feeling embarrassed that their love making had actually caused a light display for everyone to see.

Harry still a little red in the face placed Hermione's breakfast in front of her before turning back to the stove to collect his own and Remus's. "So did you find anything in that book?" he asked hoping to change the subject from the currently embarrassing talk about the sex that he and his wife had shared the night before.

"No nothing yet love," Hermione answered as she opened the book and propped it up on a tumbler. She began to read again as she slowly ate her food before it became to cold.  
Harry was just washing the plates up when Hermione began to mumble, the mumbling turned into almost a scream when she suddenly slammed her hand down on the table and yelled "I CAN'T BELIEVE HE DID THAT."

"Who did what?" Sirius asked as Mr Granger followed by his wife entered the kitchen.

"Harry listen to this, 'It seems my experiment to change the blood lines and to inject new blood into the pure blood lines has worked, today Mr Lancaster married Miss Dogood, I must admit I was not sure that the subliminal suggestions that Severus and I placed into their minds would work, I think that we should find two new students who are a little less compatible in order to verify that the results were a direct result of the Legilimens we used."

To say that Hermione was furious was a slight understatement when she came across the list of names Albus had chosen from their year, Hermione herself was paired with Ronald Bilius Weasley, Harry was paired with Ginevra Molly Weasley, all in all there were at least five couples from every year for the past ten years. Hermione suddenly saw red when she realised that all the suffering she had been through in her former life had been because Dumbledore had decided that she should think she had fallen in love with and then marry Ron Weasley, wife beater.

An hour later Hermione Jane Potter was in a cold fury as she stood outside Minerva McGonagall's quarters in Hogwarts, Harry pounded on the door and waited, he to was beyond simple anger and had their been any students around the magic that escaped him would have terrified them.

It took several minutes before a dishevelled professor McGonagall opened her door to be met by two of her students who were literally bristling with magic.  
Ten minutes later McGonagall her self now seething with anger, slammed the notebook shut and having made a floo call, led the two teenagers to the headmaster's office. She did not bother to knock as they reached the large oak door; instead she barged right in followed closely by Hermione and Harry.

A rather surprised Albus Dumbledore looked up from his desk at the uninvited intrusion in to his office, "Ah Mr and Mrs Potter to what…" thwack!!

The sound of Hermione's resounding slap across Dumbledore's face echoed down the stairwell and out into the corridor beyond.

"YOU EVIL OLD BASTARD," Hermione screamed in his face that now had a bright red print of her hand glowing across his right cheek "you would have sentenced me to a life with a woman beater you bastard."

Harry gently pulled Hermione back as she was about to slap the headmaster again "If you weren't such an old senile bastard I would beat the living daylights out of you," Harry hissed in a terrifyingly cold yet powerful voice at the dumbstruck Dumbledore.

Fawkes sat watching as the events unfolded in front of him, as Harry stood in front of Hermione and yelled at Dumbledore, Fawkes flew over and landed on Hermione's shoulder, moments later both Fawkes and Hermione were surrounded by fire, as the flames died McGonagall let out a gasp, Hermione turned to look at the deputy head wondering what had just happened.

"Fawkes just bonded with you Hermione, it is unheard of for a Phoenix to change who they are bonded with," McGonagall said in a whispered gasp.

"Fawkes?" Hermione said as she looked at the bird perched on her shoulder.

Fawkes bent his head forward and gently rubbed his beak up and down Hermione's cheek and gave a short trill, Hermione again understood just what the bird said as it looked at her eyes, _'together, my human'._

Dumbledore sat stock still in his chair wondering what was happening, his mind raced around trying to figure it out but he was at a loss, his mind kept coming up blank.

"Albus, I am afraid that as deputy head it is my duty to remove you from the office you have misused, I have floo called to the governors regarding your behaviour and for the well being of my students I must ask you to pack and leave the grounds," McGonagall said as she held up the copy of his notebook.

"But I just wanted to help, it was for the greater good, surely you can see that, new blood to stop the inbreeding," Dumbledore said as he finally grasped what was happening.

"So for the greater good someone like Hermione would have to spend over a hundred years with a wife beater, or spend a life time wondering why they married someone they don't even like?" Harry asked incredulity in his voice.

"I did not know Mr Weasley was a woman beater," Albus said pleading his innocence.

"He beat his sister for nothing more than saying she would tell me something, how many more have you condemned to such a fate," Harry yelled sparks from his magic shooting from his clenched fists and bouncing from the floor "even Fawkes knows it was wrong you stupid old fool, and to think I could ever have respected you, to think I thought you were a great man, you make me feel sick."

Dumbledore was about to reach for his wand to Obliviate them when he noticed that there was a stream of magic flowing between the two Potters', the fear that that sight caused made him stop and move his hand away from his wand, he had read about the phenomenon, and he knew that as powerful as he was they were by far the more powerful right at that moment, no spell he could cast would be strong enough to better that amount of raw magical power.

Harry looked at Hermione when a sudden thought struck him, without even thinking he reached out his hand and called the elder wand, Dumbledore could do nothing as the wand left his pocket and sailed in to Harry's open hand "Where is the stone, Gaunts ring it has to be destroyed?" he asked Dumbledore as the old man sat wondering how every thing had gone so wrong. Not getting a response Harry took out his wand and cried "Accio Gaunts ring,"

A few seconds later the ring flew into Harry's waiting palm.

Twenty five minutes later Minerva McGonagall along with Harry and Hermione escorted Dumbledore and Snape out of the main entrance hall, out side waiting a few feet from the door were six Aurors; they arrested the now former head and ex professor Snape and took them away.

"I wonder what will happen to those people Dumbledore carried out his evil on," Hermione said as she turned to thank McGonagall for helping put a stop to such an evil practice, she then thanked Fawkes for getting the book to her.

Fawkes gave a trill and in a flash of fire he vanished, reappearing in the Granger kitchen, he took up a perch next to Hedwig Harry's owl and settled him self into his new home.

McGonagall admitted that she had no idea what would happen, she was glad though that no one else would have to suffer from the plot to change the blood lines.

Just a few short minutes later Hermione had apparated them home and they were sitting in the kitchen telling how both Dumbledore and Severus Snape had been removed from Hogwarts by the new head mistress Minerva McGonagall.


	10. Chapter 10

None of the Harry Potter characters belong to me; I have only borrowed them for this tale.

A/Note, Okay first thanks to all reviewers, now onto those who complained about how easy it was for them to enter the ministry, if I recall it was just as easy in the original story when they entered the DoM without trouble, they also managed to spend quite some time fighting before anyone from the ministry turned up to see what was going on. I remember thinking at the time I read that part, Voldy could have simply walked in and taken over the building with no hassle. Now lets get on with the story...

Second time Love

Chapter Ten

The power he knows not.

The Weasley family owl Errol announced his arrival by slapping hard into their bedroom window very early the following day, Harry had to nip down stairs and out into the garden only wearing his boxers to recover the unconscious bird.  
The letter Errol had brought them was extremely short with just a few words.

_'Need to see you soon, today if possible. Luna. Ginny.'_

Harry wondered if it was a trap to lure them out into the open, but Hermione pointed out that had the letter been sent by a death eater there would be only one signature. Not having anything planned for the day they decided they would leave right after breakfast, Hermione would dissaparate them both to the Burrow. Maybe with a little luck they would be able to s tay for one of Molly's famous lunches.  
Both of them were a little worried about the letter as they ate their quickly prepared breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast, but neither voiced their worries. Ten minutes after breakfast Hermione transported them both to the Burrow, even though the letter had said soon, Ginny, and Luna, had not expected them quite so soon. After quick hello's and hugs all round the two younger girls left their unfinished breakfast, and excitedly led Harry and Hermione out to a very secluded spot hidden from view right in the middle of the Weasley wood.

"Ok you two what is so urgent you needed to wake us up so early, and drag us all the way out here?" Hermione asked as both Ginny and Luna took a seat on a large granite rock.

Ginny did not say anything instead she just pointed her hand at a twenty foot high tree. Then with out a word she nodded toward the tree, and as Harry and Hermione watched the indicated tree they saw it pushed slowly until it began to topple, then with a loud crack the trunk snapped just below half way up the trunk and the top of the tree fell to the ground. Before they had time to properly digest what had happened Luna had pointed a finger at the rock Ginny was sitting on. The two eldest watched as the rock that must have weighed several tons simply lifted from the ground like a feather and floated gently upward following the path of Luna's finger. The two Potters' stood open mouthed as Ginny and Luna took turns in doing things that even Albus Dumbledore had been unable to master.

"How… I mean what… what I'm trying to say is you can't do that, it's just not possible," Hermione said as Luna quickly repaired all the damage the two girls had done around the clearing.

"It all started the day after we visited the department of mysteries, I did the house chores, I was nearly finished before I realised I had forgotten to use my wand," Ginny said as she and Luna once again got them selves comfortable on the large granite rock.

"Don't you feel different?" Luna asked a dreamy look taking over her face again.

Hermione began to say no when she remembered something, it had been so insignificant she had not noticed it at the time.

"Harry when you took the wand from Dumbledore how did you do it?" she asked a still very puzzled Harry.

"I… I don't remember really," he answered scratching his head.

"How did you summon Gaunts ring?" Hermione looked at her husband with a small smile on her lips.

"I used the elder wand… I didn't use my wand to get Dumbledore's wand, I just thought about it," Harry said suddenly realising what his wife was thinking.

_'Give it a try love, transfigure something'_ he thought as the full impact of what it could mean hit him.

Hermione nodded as her eyes turned from Harry and she looked at the rock the two girls were sitting on. Simply thinking about what she wanted to do made the rock start to shake, just one second later a rather luxurious brown leather six seater sofa stood in place of the rock. Ginny and Luna looked around at their new seat and both of them looked surprised.

"You did that without doing anything at all," Ginny said awe showing in her quiet voice.

Amazed at what she had done just by thinking about it she turned to Harry _'Your turn'_ Hermione thought as she looked into Harry's eyes.

Harry turned toward the thicker part of the wood and thought 'diffindo', the crashing noise that followed as at least twenty trees were cut down a foot from the roots sounded deafening in the small clearing.

"Oops," Harry said as he looked at the damage he had done _'Reparo'_ he thought as he looked at the trees again, within a second the huge number of chopped trees were back to normal, not a single mark on them.

"I think I'm going to have to be a lot more careful and concentrate just a little more in future," he said sheepishly as Hermione lifted an eyebrow at him.

"No wonder we gave a light display," Hermione said smiling at the memory.

"Light display? What light display?" Ginny asked looking decidedly puzzled.

Hermione blushed and hastily said "It's nothing, just a private joke."

_'It wasn't so private love'_ Harry thought with a grin.

Hermione's blush deepened as she thought of her parents and Sirius watching the result of their love making, before she shushed Harry while she thought about all that was happening with them.

"It has to be the power that was in that locked room, we must store it like a battery, as far as I was able to find out when I studied it, nobody has ever been recorded as having been in the room since it was built, no one before we entered that is," she said as all their eyes were on her.

"Blimey, Hermione Granger did something with out having any real idea of what would or could happen," Ginny said laughing.

"It's not the first time," Hermione replied seriously as she thought of her marriage to Ron. "I've made some really big mistakes before now."

Hermione looked at her husband and wondered what was going on in Harry's head; he was being too quiet on the walk back to the Burrow. The last thing she wanted was for him to do something rashly, something that could get them all injured, before she could confront him he suddenly stopped walking causing Ginny to walk into his back.

"He was right, Dumbledore was right, the power the dark lord knows not, Dumbledore got it right," he said with a huge grin on his face "we're going to put an end to this war before more people get killed."

_'I knew it'_ Hermione thought as she realised what he was saying.

"So what are you going to do love?" she asked a little cautiously

"We need to see Mr Weasley," Harry said as he rushed off without waiting.

The three girls looked at each other and rolled their eyes "Looks like he's on another crusade," Ginny said smiling.

In the kitchen of the Burrow Harry convinced Mr Weasley to help in collecting up all the Horcrux's, Arthur told them that he would call a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix for seven that evening, he then explained to Harry who the order were and what they did.  
Hermione tried to act as surprised as Harry was when he learned about the things that the order did. It was after Mr Weasley had gone to work that Hermione voiced some concerns about how the order would react when they found out that their leader was under arrest for a crime exposed by her self. Having spent the day at the Burrow testing their new found power, Harry noticed that Ginny and Luna seemed to be losing their extra magic as the day went on; when he mentioned it to Hermione she thought it through for a while before she came to the conclusion that it was all Harry's fault in a way. She chuckled when she told them her conclusions, not because she found the fact that they were losing their extra power funny but at the look of total horror on her husbands face when he exclaimed he had done nothing.

Hermione sat back and began to explain what she thought might be happening, "It's simply because you don't love them Harry, we got the power from, for the want of a better description, the room of love, I think our love being so strong is keeping the power alive where as Ginny, and Luna's love isn't returned it's only one way, they are giving you their love but you cant give any back, you're literally draining it from them."

Harry scratched his head and looked at Ginny, Luna, and then Hermione, with a look of total confusion on his face "Sorry," he muttered though he didn't know why.

Hermione saw the confusion on his face "I'm sorry love I can't think of any better way of putting it," Hermione said smiling at them, "I think it's rather nice, at least it shows that what Dumbledore was doing was unnecessary where Ginny was concerned."

It was then Ginny's turn to look confused "I don't see what Dumbledore has to do with all this," she said giving Hermione a questioning look.

"Well it proves that you really do love Harry," Hermione said then she went on to tell them all about Dumbledore's plot to change the blood lines.

That evening as order members began to arrive, Ginny, and Luna, were sent up to Ginny's room, neither girl was too bothered because they were sure that Harry and Hermione would tell them every thing later. By seven fifteen the Burrow kitchen was full to over flowing as more and more members arrived, by twenty minutes past seven there was no more room inside so some members were left out side, some peered in at the windows.

Harry and Hermione were squeezed up against the table when Harry had come to the conclusion that the whole thing was going to be a waste of time with half the crowd outside, climbing on top of the table he took a deep breath then said rather loudly "Quiet, everyone outside." There was a powerful authority to his command and with out question everyone began to file out into the garden.  
Harry and Hermione were the last ones out of the kitchen as they followed Sirius and Remus through the door into the garden.

Hermione looked around at the forty or fifty people gathered, she nudged Harry to get his attention _'We can't do this in the open Harry'_ she thought.

"Follow me," Harry told the gathered witches and wizards as he walked out to the field where the Weasleys played Quidditch. With a quick wave of his arm Harry conjured a large marquee then just walked inside and waited.

Hermione followed and as she entered she cast a silencing charm on the huge tent so that anyone listening from outside would not be able to hear anything said. Once they were both inside Harry conjured two chairs which every one else emulated, Mr Weasley called the gathering to order and as silence began to fall on them Sirius stood up and walked to the front.

"Dumbledore will not be joining us tonight, thanks to Mr and Mrs Potter, I wonder Minerva, if you would like to explain it to us?" Sirius said looking at the new head mistress of Hogwarts.

McGonagall walked out to join Sirius, and began to explain about their former leader and what he had been doing, "…And so I think we should elect a new leader before we find out why we were all summoned to this meeting," she ended her story.

It suddenly sounded like chaos had broken out as everyone began to talk or shout, Hermione looked around and found it hard to believe she was with a gathering of around fifty adults, they were making more noise than the students at Hogwarts made at the leaving feast.

_'We need to do something Harry, or we will never get them to help'_ she thought as she looked around again.

Harry stood up and once more the powerful force of his presence spread out like a mist, people began to fall silent and look at him as he looked around the room. As silence filled the tent Hermione stood up next to her husband, and gave him a nudge _'You have to say something love'_

_'What, what do I say, I'm not a leader'_ Harry replied to his wife's prompt.

_'Shacklebolt, nominate Shacklebolt Harry, he will make a strong leader for the resistance'_ she told him as she looked at the faces all looking at them.

Arthur Weasley remembered the presence Dumbledore had at the Wizengamot and thought that the boy he had thought of as a son was giving off a very much stronger aura "Harry, I think we should choose Harry," he said standing for a few seconds.

Before Harry could react several of the people who knew him personally, including McGonagall had all agreed with Arthur, and Harry found himself elected as leader of the Order of the Phoenix. Harry stood staring at the gathering, the last thing he wanted was to be leader, head of the people fighting the death eaters of Voldemort, Hermione knowing what he was thinking looked around at the people then having found the face she wanted she called out to him "Mr Shacklebolt would you join us for a second."

Kingsley Shacklebolt was the one person Hermione knew who had the skill and wisdom to head the order, he had been the one they had elected as minister after the fall of Voldemort in her last life, he had been the man who had bought the wizarding world from the brink of anarchy and collapse.

_'Harry love you have to appoint Shacklebolt as your representative, tell them you will be to busy to devote the time required'_ Hermione urged him to speak as he stood a little uncertain of what to do.

As Shacklebolt joined them Harry asked if he would be willing to help, having received a nod from the Auror Harry began to speak to the rest of the order.

"As a student of Hogwarts I will not have the time to devote to the task you are asking of me. I have to spend my time improving my skills, getting ready for the next time Voldemort tries to kill me… So I am appointing Mr Shacklebolt as my representative. He will carry out the duties that I would be unable to do. Thank you for your confidence in me, I can only hope it is not ill founded." Harry turned to Shacklebolt "If you would take over Mr Shacklebolt."

"It's Kingsley Harry, and thank you."

Harry and Hermione sat back down with Kingsley and Harry told him what they required, the Horcrux's needed to be collected without those collecting them knowing what they were, Harry did not want another wizard getting the same ideas of immortality as Voldemort. He did tell Kingsley that the items he required were extremely dangerous and were protected by really strong dark magic. Hermione told him where they could all be found and what to expect of the spells protecting them, then she led the way back to the Burrow kitchen as she and Harry left the order to get on with things. Hermione was so proud of Harry that as soon as she had entered the kitchen, she turned and wrapped her arms around him. They were kissing for several minutes before they were interrupted by Ginny, and Luna, who both wanted to know what was going on.

It was a week later when an owl arrived as Hermione was preparing breakfast for her family; she took the letter from the owl and fed it some of the freshly cooked bacon, then placed the letter on the table while she finished off cooking breakfast. She was just about done setting out the plates when her mother then dad, and finally Harry, all came down to eat. Harry had a huge grin on his face that made Hermione blush a little when she remembered how she had woken him up that morning. She loved to make love to him as a way to wake him up.

Harry sat down as Hermione filled his plate for him; he picked up the letter and began to read. It was the letter they had been expecting, a letter from Kingsley. It told them that all the items had been collected with only two minor injuries; Kingsley wanted to know where they should be delivered and whether any order members would be needed. Having read the letter out Mr Granger wondered out loud if what they were about to do was dangerous, Harry answered honestly that he did not know, but he felt sure Hermione would find a way to keep them safe.

"Once those evil things are destroyed we can go after Riddle himself, and hopefully put an end to all this killing," Harry said as he finished speaking and started on his breakfast.

Late that afternoon Hermione and Harry accompanied by Fawkes met Kingsley Shacklebolt at the ministry of magic, together with ten members of the order they made their way down to the department of mysteries.  
As Hermione and Harry stood with the door to the room of love open just enough to enable them to watch what happened and waited. One by one, Fawkes a creature of love and devotion, untouched by the power in the normally locked room dropped the Horcrux's into the circle and watched as each piece was destroyed and the soul fragment with in was consumed.

Hermione could feel the power from the room as it gradually once again enveloped them in pure love, she could tell that Harry and those standing close behind her were also enveloped in the same power. As the last Horcrux was destroyed Harry closed the door but did not lock it, together with Kingsley, Harry set about deploying the order members, they were all placed in hiding close by, once that was done Harry stood in the corridor leading to the room where all the prophesies were kept, concentrating hard on Voldemort, Harry sent out a message that he was about to look at the prophesy that the dark lord had been so eager to get his hands on.

Once Harry thought that the message had been sent, all that he and Hermione could do was wait to see if the connection to Voldemort still worked even with out the Horcrux they had destroyed.


	11. Chapter 11

None of the Harry Potter characters belong to me; I have only borrowed them for this tale.

Second time Love

Chapter Eleven.

Dark demise

Once every one was in place, Harry checked that they were well concealed as they waited to see if Voldemort had received the message he had tried to send, and if he would indeed show up himself, or just send some of his minions.

Hermione conjured a small glass ball complete with swirling mist that looked amazingly like one of the original prophecy containers; several times as they waited she had to ask Harry to stop juggling with it as they both paced past each other in the dark corridor that led from the room that all the prophecies were stored in.

Twenty minutes later just as Harry was thinking their plan had failed he suddenly felt the now familiar feeling of someone trying to look into his mind, without the pain that usually accompanied Voldemort's invasion of his head Harry wasn't quite sure at first that it was indeed the dark lord, seconds later though he knew who it was, Voldemort was trying to see if Harry had yet looked at the prophecy.

With a quick nod to Kingsley Harry and Hermione began to discuss the best place to look at the prophecy and find out what the future held, they were still talking when the death eaters entered the far end of the corridor, there were at least ten of them but Voldemort himself was no where to be seen. Harry grabbed Hermione by the hand and together they began to run back along the corridor and toward the room of love.

The waiting order members were well positioned and stayed under cover until the death eaters chasing Harry and Hermione had passed them, rounding a corner Harry and Hermione stopped and began to cast various spells at any death eater that tried to follow them. Within thirty seconds of the last death eater passing them, Kingsley Shacklebolt and the other order members had left their cover and after only the briefest of spell and curse exchanges caught in a crossfire all the death eaters lay bound and unconscious on the corridor floor.

Harry waited while the order members once again hid them selves before surveying the bodies of Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix LeStrange, at the same time he concentrated on sending the image to Voldemort. Hermione could almost feel the hatred coming from Voldemort as he yelled out what he was going to do to the two teenagers that had dared to attack his best servants; Both Harry and Hermione could hear and feel Voldemort getting closer. Voldemort stood looking at Harry with his evil face contorted into the closest that it could come to being a smile, the two Potters' were standing with their back to the wall in the large circular room that was full of doors, it looked like the door they had tried was locked and he had them at his mercy.

Harry watched as behind Voldemort slithered Nagini, the huge snake quietly hissed as it stopped to watch its master rid the world of the Potters'. Outside in the corridor a bright flash of fire erupted next to the order members, Fawkes landed gently on Arthur Weasleys shoulder the sword of Gryffindor held firmly in his beak, Arthur needed no words to know what he was to do, taking the sword he drew his courage together then on tip toe silently entered the room, it was time for his revenge on the snake that had nearly killed him. It took Arthur just one swift swing of the sword to sever the head from the huge snake. With the death of the snake came the destruction of the last Horcrux when Arthur swung the sword at the ghostly human shape that drifted up from the snakes body, the magic in Godric Gryffindors sword destroyed the piece of soul easily even before it had begun to take shape, Arthur then silently stepped back out of the room.

Ignoring the thump of something hitting the floor behind him, because he knew it was his faithful pet guarding the door, protecting his back, Voldemort advanced on Harry and Hermione certain that he had at last trapped Potter and was about to end his life and as an added bonus he could kill the mudblood as well.

"Harry, be good boy and give me the prophecy," Voldemort said in his hissing evil voice.

Harry stuck out his chest a little before answering "Why don't you try to take it Tom?" taking Hermione's hand in his Harry grinned at the dark lord "or maybe you are afraid of ending up like Malfoy."

Voldemort looked around the room, the leer on his face became a snarl, "There's no body here to die for you today Potter, just you and your mudblood so give me the prophecy and I might just kill her quickly."

Hermione let out a strained laugh "And what makes you think I would let you kill me Riddle?"

Voldemort angered by Hermione stepped closer, each step placing him closer to the door to the room of love.

"You dare to speak to me you mudblood whore," he yelled his red eyes becoming wide at her words.

"Thomas Riddle mind your language, anyway what makes you think you are going to kill either of us, besides why should I be afraid of some little upstart that denies his parentage?" Hermione said further angering Voldemort.

"Hermione love would you allow me to handle this little pipsqueak?" Harry asked politely.

Voldemort screamed at them in a raging fury caused by the two teens, he cast several spells at them, all of which were deflected with ease, something that in his rage he had not noticed.

"You need to do better than that Tommy boy," Harry said in a quiet threatening voice.

Voldemort was in an absolute fury his red eyes were glowing as he stepped closer, Harry cast a very weak stunner spell which Voldemort laughed at as he almost nonchalantly deflected it, several more rather weak stunners were cast by Harry and while Voldemort was distracted by them Hermione cast a charm that opened the door behind him. As soon as the door was open Harry gave Hermione's hand a quick squeeze, together they silently conjured a powerful shield that had a golden glow, then they began to move forward, Voldemort was confused as they approached him instead of running or cowering, only Dumbledore had ever refused to run from him, he cast several killing curses at the advancing Potters, each of which was dodged, the pain Voldemort felt when the shield reached him took him totally by surprise, he had never come across anything like it before, it was far worse than even the most powerful Crucio, there was a power behind the shield that over whelmed him making it hard to think and it forced him back, slowly Harry and Hermione pushed forward, each time Voldemort was able to cast a spell at them they dodged out of the way, their golden shield never wavered.

Had Tom Riddle ever known what love was he would have known that the shield that glistened with a golden hue was not a protective shield, he would have known it was a manifestation of the love the Potters had for each other, as it was he was finding it difficult to think clearly, almost impossible to concentrate enough to cast a curse, there was a power surrounding him that he did not understand, a power that was more painful to him than anything he could ever remember encountering. Trying to get away from the golden glow and the pain he stepped back into the room behind him, Voldemort tried to think of a curse, a spell, or even a simple charm that he could cast against the Potters but his mind was consumed by the pain that seemed to invade his every nerve, slowly he backed away from the two advancing teenagers, but as he did so he could see their power growing, getting stronger, their shield growing in size. Tom was then over whelmed by a feeling of fear, a deep fear, he knew that his bid for immortality was at an end, he knew his Horcrux's had been destroyed just as he was about to be destroyed and for the first and last time in his life Thomas Riddle soiled himself.

The last thing Tom Riddle saw as he entered the circle in the middle of the room was two young people who were full to over flowing with a power he did not know nor understand, a power that was greater than he was.

Harry and Hermione began to back away as soon as Voldemort entered the centre circle, they watched from the door way as Riddle screamed in agony for several seconds before the final piece of his soul was wrenched away from him and destroyed, the body of the once evil dark lord fell silently to the floor, still in the centre circle of the room of love.

Harry managed to close the door behind Hermione before together they both leaned against the wall then slowly sank down to sit on the floor, the amount of love that they had both used and been refilled with during the fight with Riddle amazed them both, they were both still glowing with a golden hue when the order members began to enter the room. Kingsley asked about Voldemort, Hermione called on Fawkes who entered the room of love and emerged with the now dead dark lord held firmly in his talons, dropping the body at their feet Fawkes began to sing, the phoenix song filled all within hearing of it with a feeling of joy.

After a short rest the Potters rose back to their feet, with the body of Voldemort levitated between them Harry and Hermione led the order members and their death eater prisoners up through the ministry, reaching the atrium they found their way blocked by a huge crowd, all with their wands drawn, Voldemort's use of an unforgivable curse had trigger every alarm in the building.

Minister Fudge forced his way through the crowds of witches and wizards who had flocked into the ministry foyer and filled the atrium as soon as all the alarms indicating the use of unforgivable curses inside the ministry went off, finally making it through the crowd he and his entourage came face to face with Harry and Hermione Potter, levitated between them was the body of Voldemort. Blustering like the fool he was Fudge demanded an explanation, at his side Delores Umbridge stood leering at Hermione.

"Well answer the minister," Umbridge yelled out at them.

Instead of answering Hermione turned to Kingsley Shacklebolt, "Kingsley you are a senior law officer, am I correct?" she asked in a tone of voice that made everyone pay attention.

"Yes, Mrs Potter, I am," Kingsley answered coming forward a little.

"Harry hold out your right hand," she said still in the same tone of voice. "Take a look at the back of my husbands' hand."

Kingsley did as Hermione asked then he gasped in disbelief, "How did you get these scars Harry?"

Hermione answered before Harry said a word "Kingsley I want Umbridge arrested for the use of an illegal blood quill, I also want both her and the minister arrested for the attempted murder of Harry Potter and his cousin Dudley Dursley, it was they who authorised two dementors to attack them in Little Whinging, if you need any evidence you will find the memories of five Hogwarts pupils who were held at wand point while Umbridge admitted it, she was also about to use the cruciatus curse on a pupil until she was distracted."

Harry gave a nod to Kingsley who then called some of the aurors who had stood listening, he did not have to give the order as the other law officers placed both the minister and Umbridge under arrest and led them away. Fudge glanced at the body of Voldemort and he knew beyond any doubt that he was about to spend a long time in Azkaban. Umbridge how ever was still shouting out stupid orders to her former colleagues. Silence suddenly reigned as someone from the crowd shouted "Shut up you ugly toad," and sent a silencing charm at the ungainly and ugly ministers assistant.

Hermione noticed a grinning Arthur Weasley blowing imaginary dust from the end of his wand; with a quick wink to the Potters he began to chuckle silently. The great celebration began within an hour of Voldemort's body being taken through the ministry and on to St Mungo's where they certified that he was well and truly dead.

A/Note sorry again for the shortness of this chapter but it seemed right to end it there.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer as usual I don't actually own any thing except the plot

Chapter twelve

Hogwarts again

The month since Voldemort's defeat had been rather hectic for Harry and Hermione, travelling from celebration to celebration, visiting new memorials to those who had died in the second Voldemort war, and for the past week they had been attending the trials of former death eaters. Between them Harry and Hermione had been able to hand a large list of names of death eaters a lot of whom had claimed to be under the imperious curse and were therefore technically innocent, but with the list having been written by the Potters it was accepted as true and complete evidence, all of the death eaters who had previously been able to buy their way out of a goal term or the death sentence found themselves not only being taken into the room of death, but for those serving long stretches of time in Azkaban they were made to watch as the more evil of the death eaters were sent through the veil of death, most of them crying like babies and pleading for unfound mercy. They also found thanks to a suggestion from Hermione, their money and possessions confiscated to pay out damages to those people who had been injured or to families who had lost loved ones because of Voldemort.

It had been a satisfying time for Hermione as she watched the end of the death eaters and though she had nothing against purebloods the near eradication from the wizarding world of the pureblood belief in their supremacy came as a great relief and gave her a feeling of satisfaction. It was on a Monday just over a month since the battle at the ministry, as lunchtime approached she sat in the court room with Harry by her side as Lucius Malfoy was sentenced to death, she watched as he was led away screaming his innocence to the room where the veil of death was, it had tickled Harry somewhat when Lucius had expected to be set free simply because he did not take part in the final battle, but with Harry's evidence, starting at the attempt to kill Ginny Weasley and other Muggle born students at Hogwarts Lucius was doomed to pay for his crimes.

Hermione sat back a little with some satisfaction as the junior Malfoy who had plagued both her previous life and this one, was sentenced to twenty five years in Azkaban for having the dark mark and helping in several tortures of Muggles, she also felt some satisfaction knowing that Mrs Malfoy who had been sentenced to five years, would if she survived leave Azkaban as yet another penniless pureblood, all the Malfoy wealth had been confiscated and thanks to information from Mundungus Fletcher all their money and possessions stashed away in the muggle world were confiscated too.

Then as the prisoner she had been waiting to see was brought in and chained to an old oak chair she sat up and readied her self to be a witness. Delores Umbridge was sentenced to two twenty five year terms for the attempted murder of Harry Potter and Dudley Dursley, and for the attempted use of an unforgivable spell and for using an illegal instrument to punish pupils.

Three weeks after the last of the major death eater trials Harry and Hermione returned by invitation to Hogwarts, they were there to cram in some work before taking their N.E.W.T exams, before then setting off for a well earned rest and a holiday tour of the world. They were sat in the common room of Gryffindor tower reading the story in the Quibbler about the mob destruction of the Daily Prophet news paper offices and all the press room equipment. Harry chuckled out loud as he read about one Rita Skeeter being tarred and feathered and paraded through Diagon Alley tied to an old Muggle broomstick, during the celebrations Rita had published yet another story about Harry that was full of lies, it had been one ficticious story about their hero to many for the people of the wizarding world, and what had started off as a small gathering calling for her to be fired turned into a full mob destruction of the news paper that was now seen as a main supporter of the evil Voldemort.

Having been back at Hogwarts studying for their NEWT exams they had spent the past three months in secret training. Hermione had been teaching Harry how to dance; they had spent every spare moment they had in the room of requirement, every free period, every evening some times late into the night they had danced. When they first started Harry had still been a little stiff and clumsy but he had very soon begun to improve, and as Harry led Hermione around the empty dance floor provided by the room of requirements for the last time, she felt proud of him, he danced far better than Viktor Krum had and as far as she could tell he was now an excellent dancer. Like with everything else he did for her he worked hard to get it right.

On the last day as students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Harry was trying his best to plaster his unruly hair into some semblance of order, he gave up after several failed attempts feeling sure that his wife would forgive him once again, either that or she would subject him to a very swift and extremely short magical haircut. Looking up from his mirror he could not help but chuckle as he thought about the last time he had been to a School ball, pictures of his one time best friend dressed in the most hideous dress robes imaginable came into his mind and he wondered what Ron Weasley would be wearing tonight, would it be pyjamas or one of the hospital gowns. Ginny informed Hermione that her vicious brother had attacked his healers in an attempt to leave St Mungo's and was now under close guard in a rather small room, there seemed no hope of him ever being released, some thing to do with his jeans, her mum seemed to think that maybe he should only be allowed to wear trousers but the healers had not agreed her.

The last night as honorary seventh year students Harry and Hermione were to be guests of honour at the schools first annual 'Potter summer ball'. Harry had been just a little annoyed when he first heard about the name of the ball, but Hermione had pointed out that it would serve as a yearly reminder to future Hogwarts students what could happen if evil was left to spread unchecked.

At exactly seven thirty Harry stood speechless with his mouth wide open as Hermione, no longer just the pretty girl who had wowed him at the fourth year ball, walked down the stairs from her room, now she was an extremely beautiful young woman, her once bushy hair grown into long and wavy tresses that hung down to the base of her spine, her once boyish figure now curvy, her long shapely legs hidden by a fabulous periwinkle dress robe that showed all her beauty as she joined him at the bottom of the stair.

Together they walked from the Gryffindor tower down to the great hall, Harry could not help but feel proud when he saw the looks of envy from both male and female students, he heard some of the gasps and whistles aimed at Hermione as they made their way to the great hall with the other students. Professor McGonagall had them wait in the entrance hall as everyone else filed in to the great hall, then she gave them instructions to enter when she next opened the doors. Hermione could not remember ever feeling quite so nervous but with Harry holding her hand and reassuring her despite his own nervousness she managed to keep the shaking to a minimum, the great oak doors opened and Harry offered her his arm, together they walked slowly up the aisle made for them by the students. On reaching the head table they were offered seats where everyone could see them, as soon as they were sitting the rest of the students were told to sit, speeches followed and for thirty minutes different dignitaries from around the world praised the two Gryffindor students and conferred honours on them, the two heroes of the wizarding world.

The speeches were over and Hermione looked at all the expectant faces, she had just learned as everyone else had that they were not starting the first dance, they were starting the ball by dancing the first dance, it was just going to be the two of them on the dance floor for the whole dance.

Kingsley Shacklebolt the new Minister finished his speech and waved Harry and Hermione toward the dance floor, both feeling nervous as seemingly hundreds of pairs of eyes watched them they took up their position and waited for the music to start.

Hermione need not have been worried though, as the music began Harry led her effortlessly around the polished wooden floor. For the first time she could remember she felt really truly graceful and elegant, dancing with Harry somehow felt like dancing on a cloud. There was thunderous applause as the music ended and Harry leant Hermione backward a little and kissed her in front of everyone. Hermione began the next dance with pink cheeks as they were joined by dozens of couples on the dance floor.

Several witches tried to get Harry to dance with them but he kept all but two of his dances for Hermione. They did not see Ron, thankfully it appeared he would not be released from the long term mental damage ward at anytime in the foreseeable future, and the fact he could not attend was some small relief for both of them as it avoided any awkward situations.

Neville was there with Ginny and Luna and they all joined Hermione and Harry at their table during a break from the dancing, Luna congratulated them on getting to their final exams a year early, she said it was probably caused by interference by the bottle nosed erikilywad, though as usual no body had any idea what she was talking about. Harry danced with both Ginny and Luna and they heaped praise on him when he escorted them back to the table, Neville admitted to feeling just a tiny bit jealous because he was hopeless at dancing, Harry told him all he had to do was find the right witch and she would put wings on his feet.

"Maybe so Harry, but I bet they still stay as two bloomin winged left feet," Neville laughed.

Hermione felt immensely proud every time she danced with Harry, it wasn't pride in her self she felt, it was a huge pride in her husband, as the evening wore on and the music began to get slower and more intimate Hermione became aware of more and more witches watching them dance, she could almost feel the jealousy and it made her cling ever tighter to Harry. She wondered for a moment how she had gotten so lucky to have found a way to have a second, chance and to have some one who had grown so handsome fall in love with her, but she did not worry about it as she revelled in his loving touch.

By the time the ball was over Hermione was more than ready for bed, she had enjoyed this ball so much more than the only other ball she had been too, and though she had been dancing all night she was far from tired, and she didn't care if they gave a light show for all the world to see either. The journey south on the Hogwarts express the following morning was unusual only in it's lack of Draco Malfoy trying to get a rise out of them, Harry and Hermione sat in a compartment with Luna, Ginny, and Neville, the time was spent chatting or playing the odd game of exploding snap.

Reaching Kings Cross after rushed goodbyes to their friends Harry and Hermione had to rush to catch another train, joining Mr and Mrs Granger just in time to catch their connection; they climbed aboard the train that really began their holiday around the world.

They were all off on a year long sea cruise with only three stops at wizarding towns along the way; they looked forward to living the life of ease in peace and quiet for a while.

Their return to England after their break of a full year found Harry, Hermione, and her parents making a visit to St Mungo's their first stop, where after Hermione had a quick examination by a healer the Potters found out they were soon to become the proud parents of twins…

The End for now…


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